As Darkness Fades
by adangerousbond
Summary: Post-finale, Can Bellamy find his way back to his Princess? How are the new arrivals going to fit in with the 100? Bellarke.
1. Chapter 1

This is my first attempt at these characters and this show in general, I only actually started watching it about two weeks ago!  
Please bare with the slow beginning, it picks up after the season finale, but I didn't what to go too in depth about it all so this first chapter and at least half of the next is just quickly skimming the cliffhangers.  
Any criticism and feedback is greatly appreciated.

I own nothing!

* * *

The first time he attempted to make it to Mt Weather, he got just over a mile into his trek before the blackness over took, the second time it was just under half a mile and by the fifth it was barely a 100 metres, eventually he simply let the darkness in, slumping against a tree and passing out.

Just before nightfall, he woke to see a little girl, no more than 8 or 9, standing over him, her eyes wide at realising he was alive but her face was quickly covered in curiosity.

"Are you here to hurt us?" She asked, keeping herself a safe distance away as terror laced her words.

He simple shock his head in response, his throat dry from the smoke he had inhaled and the pain from his injuries threating to draw him back into the darkness

"What's your name?" the young girl questioned.

"Bell-Bellamy." He choked out, attempting to smile at the girl.

"Have some of this." She said rushing forward, offering him her water at the sound of his voice, her previous fears disappearing.

"Thanks," he told her, after taking a long drink, relishing the cold feeling of the water running down his throat. "What's your name?"

"Emily," she responded, taking her water back as she watched him with interest.

"Where's your family, Emily?" he asked, concerned for her answer, hoping they hadn't been killed in the mass grave he had left.

"I'm not sure, we set up camp and I wondered a bit too far." She said looking around. "I'm not used to such dense forests, all the trees look the same."

"So you're not from around here?" He questioned, wondering just how many people were still on earth.

"No, we are farmers. We come here just before winter to trade, this is my first time coming." Her answer surprising him, he couldn't help but wonder what sort of things they farmed, what food they had and if that meant they had animals like sheep and cows.

"Where are you from?" He asked the girl, wanting to know as much as possible but not wanting to frighten her.

"Past the mountains, where it's a lot more open." Emily told him, looking at the trees surrounding them before looking him over quizzically. "You don't look like the stories I've heard about the people who live around here."

"I'm not from around here either." He told her, which made her visibly relax.

"Where are you from?" she questioned, her inquisitive nature reminding him so much of his sister.

"The sky." He said, looking up at the darkening sky above them. The first stars were starting to appear and he still felt weird not only how much further away they seemed, but also at not always being able to see them.

"Ohh, you're a part of the group that came down from the space ship." She said quietly, backing away slightly. "I've heard a lot of stories about your people."

"It's okay, we won't hurt you." Bellamy told her sincerely, not wanting to make enemies with another group of grounders.

"Where are the rest of you?" Her question made him freeze, he hated that he hadn't been able to stop the men in suits from taking his people, from taking Clarke. All he had managed to do from his hidden spot was watch as they took them all, it had taken his dizzy state a while to focus on the writing on their back but was shocked when he realised the people were from Mt Weather, that they must have been the mountain men Octavia had told him about.

"The mountain men took them, I'm going after them." He said matter-of-factly, Emily gasping at his statement.

"They aren't safe there." She stated, fear for his friends flashing across her face.

"That's why I'm going to get them." He told her as he used the tree behind him to stand. "How about we find your family?"

"Really? You'll help me?" Her face lit up at her new friends offer to help.

"It's dangerous out here, I'm not going to leave you to fend for yourself.'' Bellamy couldn't help but give her a small smile, her likeness to his sister outweighing the pain he was in.

"Thank-you!" She said, rushing forward to hug him, which made him flinch as she inadvertently touched a few of his wounds.

"Do you remember anything about where they had camped?" He asked, listening carefully to everything she could tell him about her camp. "I think I know where they are."

"Do you think they will be mad at me?" She asked worriedly.

"I think they will just be glad to see you." He told her, shutting his eyes and leaning against the tree for a moment to ready himself before they went in search of her family.

"I hope so." She whispered, looking at him with a concerned look. "Can you walk?"

"Yeah," he said, picking up a strong stick to use as a walking stick to help keep him upright. "Ready?"

"Will we make it back before dark?" Emily asked, nodding at his question and beginning to walk along with him.

"I'm not sure," he answered, looking up at the fading sunlight. "Depends on how fast we go."

"Don't rush yourself, I think it would be better if we had to walk in the dark a bit than if we went fast and your injuries got worse." She told him, her practicableness amusing him.

"Smart thinking." He said, smirking at the serious look on her face.

"What happened to you?" She asked, helping him step over a fallen log.

"I got caught in a blast." He stated, giving the short story.

"Violence is never a good thing." She said solemnly.

"You're a wise kid." Bellamy told her, looking down. He couldn't help but wonder how different things would have been if the war with the grounders had never occurred. One thing he was sure of was that Clarke wouldn't have been in a situation where she had to decide to save Finn and him or everyone else, a choice he knew would hunt her.

"Everyone says that you and your people are violent." She stated quietly.

"We have done some terrible things, I've done some terrible things." He said, ashamed at how they had started their second shot at earth. "But we have only defended ourselves, we didn't know anyone still lived on earth and never set out to start a war."

"Why did you come back to earth?" she asked after a pause, needing time to think over what he had told her.

"We didn't have a choice." Bellamy answered, looking at the girl at his side.

"What do you mean?" Emily questioned, her mind ticking over with a million questions for her strange new friend, every answer she was getting causing so many more questions.

"The place we were living in was running out of air, they couldn't fix it in time with so many people so they sent some of us down here to see if it was liveable." He told her, not wanting to tell her too much considering she was lucky to be 12.

"And they didn't give you a choice? They just forced you to?" She asked, shocked at what his people had done.

"I was the only one who chose to, everyone else was sent against their will." Well, he thought, except for Well's but that would just cause more questions.

"Why did you?" she inquired, her head cocked to one side as she tried to work it out herself.

"I couldn't let my sister come down alone." He said, stopping to have a rest against a tree.

"You have a sister?" Emily asked, a bright smile across her face.

"Octavia." He stated, starting to walk once more.

Bellamy spent the most part of an hour answering all of Emily's questions about his sister, the young girl seemed enthralled by the stories and thinking about his sister kept his mind off his pain. It was well and truly dark when they saw the first sign of her camp, a small light from the camp fire off in the distance and he had had to stop her from just running straight to it. As he walked into edge of the camp, he started to grow concerned about how they would react to his presence, he hadn't had the best of first meetings with any of the grounders and was in no state to fight back.

"Emily?!" A tall brunette woman yelled, rushing to them, collecting the girl in a hug as she moved toward the woman. She looked at him over the girls head, a mixture of fear and relief covering her face. "Who are you?"

"It's okay mum," Emily said, escaping the embrace to stand next to her friend. "This is Bellamy, he helped me."

"Thank-you." Emily's mother told Bellamy, still keeping a distance as did the other members of the group who had formed around them.

"Bellamy is one of the sky people," Emily said, causing the group to gasp and whisper amongst themselves.

"I'm not here to hurt you," He started, causing everybody to freeze and look at him, "I just wanted to make sure Emily got home safely. I will leave you to yourselves."

"Nonsense," Emily's mother stated, as he begun to retreat. "You are clearly injured, let us clean you up."

"This way." Emily told him, dragging him to their tent.

"I'm Mary, by the way." The older woman said to him as he sat on the blanket he was instructed to and took off his jacket and shirt to allow her access to his wounds.

"And the leader of our group." Emily told him proudly.

"Were are the rest of your people?" Mary asked, setting to work at cleaning his various wounds and burns.

"The mountain men took them. I was on my way after them when I came across Emily." He answered, laying down on the blanket as the dizziness the movement of walking had kept at bay.

"Thank-you for looking after her, we had people searching for her but had to call them off when it started to get dark as we don't know the forest and would have lost more people. I feared the worst." She told him, the fear at almost losing her daughter creeping into her voice.

"I'm sorry." Emily said quietly, as she set to work washing Bellamy's blood and soot covered t-shirt in a small tub she had gotten.

"All that matters is that she's safe." He responded, winching as the cold liquid touched one of his larger burns.

"Are you hungry?" Mary asked, looking at both Bellamy and her daughter.

"I don't think I could eat." He answered, watching as Emily nodded and quickly went to get herself some food, having had missed lunch.

"Your wounds are pretty bad, but I think you will heal." Mary said, glancing at his leg. "But I will get our healer to deal with your leg, as it's far worse than anything I have dealt with."

"But I'm fine other than that?" He questioned, having long decided to start his journey again in the morning.

"You will live, but I wouldn't use the word fine to describe you, I will be back." She said getting up to get the healer.

Bellamy shut his eyes as he let the warmth inside the tent filter through his body, giving him a chance to relax for just a moment. His burns were stinging, but it was less now that the water had dried and the dirt removed and his various wounds felt numb as they were no longer being reopened every second by his walking. Keeping his eyes shut, he begun to feel a sense of stability, as the dizziness started to fade and he stopped feeling like he was constantly swaying.

"Everybody's talking about you." A gruff voice altered Bellamy to a man entering the tent. "I'm Henry."

"Bellamy." He stated, looking the older man over as he moved to sit next to him.

"Mary said you had a bad wound." Henry said, looking over the array of cuts and burns and cursing at the sight.

"It's not too bad." Bellamy responded, slowly sitting up to pull up his pants enough to show him the large cut on his calf. It had been sliced by a grounders knife and slightly burnt in the explosion.

"The burn stopped the bleeding, probably saved your life." Henry told him as he cleaned it and put some paste that he presumed was some sort of antiseptic cream on it. "I would usually stitch a wound like this, but I think that will make it worse."

"How long will it take to heal?" Bellamy asked as Henry wrapped a cloth-like bandage around the wound.

"Weeks, at least." Henry informed him, moving on to put the paste on his other injuries. "And that is if it heals without any issues."

"When can I walk on it?" Bellamy questioned, even though he didn't plan on sticking to his instructions.

"You should stay off it for at least a week, and even then, just small walks." Henry said, giving him a cup of water. "You're all done, I'll be back to check on you in the morning."

"Thanks." Bellamy told him genuinely, watching the older man leave as he laid back down on the blanket.

"Are you going to be okay?" Emily asked, rushing through the flaps of the tent.

"Sure am." He said, watching the young girls eyes travel over all his wounds, her smile dropping as she saw just how badly injured he was.

"Henry likes you." Mary told him as she entered the tent.

"He's a good doctor." Bellamy said, trying not to let his mind wander to his group's doctor, to his co-leader, to how guilty she must be feeling, if she was alive, that is.

"I know you must be worried about your people, but we will plan what to do tomorrow, right now you need to rest." Mary told him, laying a blanket over him and setting to work at getting Emily ready for bed as well.

* * *

The next morning, Bellamy woke late, he could feel it was later than he would have like by the heat of the sun. His mind immediately went to figuring out how he was going to continue his mission to Mt Weather, to his people but his plans were cut short when the young girl sitting in the corner worked out he was awake.

"Bellamy!" Emily exclaimed excitedly, rushing to his side. "Do you want a drink? How are you feeling? Are you in pain?"

"Some water would be nice." He said, smiling at her rambling questions.

He spent the next hour having Henry fuss over his injuries, Mary making him eat and Emily helping him out of the tent to their fire. They sat around the fire, listening to Emily point out everything in their makeshift camp. Much to Bellamy's surprise, there was bags of grains and other produce, horses tied nearby and even a handful of young cows and chickens. When Emily went to collect them all some lunch, he brought up going after his friends, something both Henry and Mary were against and told him about their connection to the mountain men, that they were on their way to trade with them.

"We will demand they release your friends if they still wish to trade with us." Mary stated, as if it was the oblivious answer.

"I couldn't ask you to put your people in that much danger." Bellamy said forcefully, hating how much they had already done for him.

"It's no danger to us, they have to choice but to trade with us if they need grains." Henry countered.

"They could just kill you." Bellamy told them, trying to get his point across.

"They know they will need more next year." Henry stated, knowing all too well how much people relied upon the supplies they would bring.

"It's too much." He said, shocked at these peoples kindness

"You saved my daughter, this is just our way of thanking you." Mary responded forcefully, leaving no room for discussion. "Plus, it would be nice to have your people as allies, we have much to learn off you."

"We will be for ever in your debit." He told her gratefully. "I am coming though, as you still need back-up."

"No. Your injuries still need to heal, you would just slow us down." Mary stated, he knew she was right but couldn't just sit on the sidelines.

"But-" Bellamy tried to reason.

"But nothing, if you wish to help, it would mean a lot of you could teach some of our people how to protect themselves. We have never had the need for warriors, but I fear each year we come into the forests, they get more and more unsafe." Mary cut in, effectively deciding the outcome once more.

"Fine, but send them to site of the rest of the ship, its safest there." He conceded, he had remembered watching pieces of the ark crash into the forest no too far away the night after the explosion and figured that that was his people's best chance at survival.

"Okay." Mary agreed.

* * *

The party going to see the mountain men had left after lunch, having already lost a day in search of Emily and had wanted to try to catch up for lost time, especially as they wanted to be back in their village well before the middle and harshest time of winter. Bellamy had learned that they were about a 4 day journey from Mt Weather and that the village was a week's journey in the opposite direction. Henry, Emily and a few others had stayed behind to look after the camp, which apparently was where they always stayed when they came into the forest to trade, only going off in smaller groups to each particular village. They had been adamant that once Mary and her group returned, that he would go back to their village to recover fully before returning to his people, something he didn't want to do but he realised it was his best hope at not only a full recovery but at being strong enough to survive the journey.

Most of the first few days in the camp, Bellamy spent either in the tent or around the fire. He was only allowed to move about with a stick, under clear instructions not to put weight on his bad leg and only if he really had to move. He was surprised at how much warmth the tents kept in and at the soft and warmness of the blankets that he had learnt from Emily were woollen. Within the tent, he would never have guessed it was winter and part of him was excited to see what their village would be like.

Clarke came into his mind more than Octavia, which had surprised him at first but then he had decided it was because after everything, he trusted that Lincoln wouldn't let anything happen to his sister, but Clarke had no one protecting her. He hated that she would not know he was alive until months after the explosion, but he didn't want her to know he was alive, only for him not to make it back. She might feel guilty now, and he had made Henry promise to find her on their trade next winter and tell her, tell them all that he had survived, if he did in fact die somewhere between now and returning to his people, but he didn't want her to wonder everyday if he was coming back, if he blamed her. She had told him not long ago that she needed him, that she couldn't do it alone but whether she thought he was dead or alive, he still couldn't be by her side, not until he was healed.

The demand to release the prisoners had come at a shock to the mountain men, at first they hadn't known how to react and refused but quickly came around when they realised the farmers were serious. They might not have liked it, but they understood that they needed a truce with the farmers over the need to keep the sky people.

Mary smiled as she watched the prisoners come out one by one, their faces shocked at being let go and their body's ready for a fight. She watched a determined blonde make her way over to the where she stood with the mountain men's leader, clearly wanting to understand what was going on and feared that her people would be killed if they left.

* * *

"You and your people are free to leave, Clarke." The man told her, his face angry at being manipulated.

"Why? Why are you just letting us go?" she asked, looking between the two people, adrenaline pumping quickly throughout her veins as tried to work out whether they were really being released or if it was a trap.

"I guess you're just lucky to have such good friends." He said, glaring at Mary.

"Who are you?" Clarke asked her, the question coming as a surprise to the man.

"You don't know each other? Why would their release be in your demands?" he raged.

"We have a mutual friend, Clarke and we hope to remain allies with your people." Mary told her with a smile, before handing her a map with an X where they had worked out the last of the Ark had fallen too. "You will find the remainder of your ship here."

"Thank-you, for all of this" Clarke said, presuming that she was referring to Lincoln. "So we really can leave? You won't try to stop us?"

"We will not harm your people for leaving, nor will we come after you." The man promised.

"Thank-you." She told Mary one last time before rushing to her group and instructing them to co-ordinate and leave. Mary couldn't help but be impressed at the young girl's ability to lead the group of teenagers, she felt bad for how quickly the rest of the people on the ground had judged them too quickly and made them suffer for their bad judgements.

* * *

The trek to the last of the survivors from the ship was long and strenuous. Even though the mountain men had told her they weren't coming after them, Clarke couldn't help but feel the need to get as far away from them as quickly as possible. All of the group was starting to feel the lack of sleep and food, not only from the long walk they had done today but also from the week they spent locked up, with minimal food and water and fear stopping them from sleeping.

"Okay, let's camp here for the night." She told them all, trying and failing to keep the exhaustion from her voice as she instructed everyone into groups and gave them each jobs.

"Do you think there's a chance they are still alive?" Raven asked, stepping in line with Clarke as she moved around to check on any injuries. She hadn't been given a job as Clarke was still unsure how well they had treated her.

"You saw what it looked like out there, I don't know how anyone could have survived that." She told her after a pause, the guilt at shutting the door having been the main thing keeping her awake since it occurred.

* * *

Hope you enjoyed it!  
I'm still not entirely sure how well I managed to stay in character, but am working on that.

tumblr: adangerousbond


	2. Chapter 2

Finally had a chance to upload chapter two!  
I'm not overly happy about a number of parts, but this is more just a filler chap, will get better in chapter three!  
enjoy!

* * *

As the days past and Bellamy started to be able to move around more, Emily showed him around the camp more, introducing him to everyone and showing him all the horses and other various things. She was amused by how excited he was to see so many things he had only ever read about, she couldn't believe he hadn't seen so many things that she had just grown up with, that she had never not seen. He told her stories of Octavia, of the ark and living in space, while she told him about the farms and open space. She was the youngest in the camp and had always been more inclined to sit at the adults table, instead of playing with the kids her own age, meaning she had gotten bored easily with the kids in the village, so was excited to have an adult tell her things and take interest in her.

* * *

Approaching the guards on the perimeter of the camp, Clarke stepped forward, knowing they had more of a chance of recognising her over the others.

"Don't shoot." She said, holding her hand in the air. "It's the 100, well what's left of us."

"Stay back." A guard said, sending the guard next to him off to get someone in charge.

"Clarke?" Abby said, sounding in shock at seeing her daughter, as though she couldn't believe she was actually there.

"You're alive?!" Clarke exclaimed, running to her mother's arms.

The gesture calmed the guards enough for them to lower their guns and allow the rest of the group within the semi-standing wall they had devised. Other people had begun to come out of their makeshift tents and whatnot at the commotion and soon a number of other families were reuniting.

"Clarke?" Octavia yelled, running to the blonde girl, Lincoln and Finn following close behind.

"Finn?!" Clarke said, half in shock at all the people coming back from the dead. "How are you alive?"

"Bellamy." He told her, after hugging her, her mother watching on with a warm smile. "He pulled me out of the way, through one of the fox holes, he saved my life."

"Where is he?" She asked eagerly, looking around for her co-leader, the guilt she had been carrying getting smaller by the second, only still present when she noticed the whimper come from Octavia.

"He must've still been too close, the last thing I remember is him pushing me away, then when I woke," Finn paused, glancing at the ground. "He wasn't there, no one was."

"Maybe he had just left already? To come after us?" Jasper asked hopefully, coming to join the small group, Monty in tow.

"And leave Finn?" Monty stated.

"It's not like he really liked him." Jasper counted.

"He wouldn't have left him behind." Clarke stated, her face emotionless and almost cold.

"And even if he did, he wouldn't have gotten far." Finn said, drawing everyone's attention back to him.

"Why?" Monty asked, almost afraid for the answer.

"He would have been closer than me and I barely made it away. I only survived because I made it back to Lincolns cave and he and Octavia looked after me."

"He was in a pretty bad way." Octavia said solemnly, having clearly come to accept her brother's death.

"Where have you all been?" Kane questioned as he joined the group.

"The mountain men held us captive." Jasper answered.

"How did you escape?" Finn asked, once they had gotten over the statement.

"They let us go," Clarke paused, looking at Lincoln. "Thank-you for that."

"I didn't do anything." He said, looking confused at the misplaced gratitude but excitement from their return, quickly changed the conversation before either had a chance to question it further.

* * *

By the time Mary and her group got back, Bellamy was allowed to actually go for small walks, something Henry had made him do in an attempt to get him strong enough for the trek back. Emily had been the first to notice the group's arrival and had quickly gone to greet her mother.

"Did it work?" Bellamy asked, limping over to Mary.

"Just like we planned," She told him, smiling widely. "The blonde girl, Clarke?" She started, looking to him to confirm her name, his smile at the news evident as he nodded. "She seemed surprised, but got all those kids out of there pretty quickly."

"Sounds like Clarke." He said with a smirk, glad to know she was alive and okay.

"You didn't tell me that they were only kids," Mary stated as the three of them moved to warm up around the fire.

"I was the only one over 18." He told her.

"But you snuck on to be with your sister?" Emily asked, looking confused as he nodded in agreement.

"So they knowingly sent a group of kids to a land with no means to survive." Mary clarified.

"They didn't expect them to survive." He responded simply.

"That's terrible." Emily exclaimed.

"We ran into a man from the village that was at war with you." Mary stated after a while, breaking the silence they had lapsed into.

"Did he cause you any trouble?" Bellamy asked, worried about what his fights would cause for these people.

"No, he said he wasn't with them, that he helped you. He was with two of your people." She told him.

"Lincoln?" he questioned, his mind instantly shooting to Octavia, wondering what she knew of his fate.

"Yes, that's him." She responded.

"Lincoln, as in who your sisters in love with?" Emily asked excitedly.

"Was she with him? Was Octavia with him?" He queried.

"Yes, she was. Sorry I didn't realise she was your sister. He also had a boy called Finn with him." Mary told him, seeing now the resemblance between him and the feisty girl she had met on their journey to the mountain.

"What did you tell them?" He inquired, relief flooding over him that his sister was okay.

"I didn't say anything about you, you hadn't wanted me to tell the others and I wasn't sure if Lincoln was actually on your side or not." Mary said apologetically.

"That's okay. Did they say where they were going?" He asked, still slightly surprised that Finn was alive, he had looked for him before leaving the area but hadn't found a trace.

"He said they were going to find the rest of your ship, they had seen what you had and worked out where it was. He drew us a map, we copied it and gave one to Clarke." She informed him.

"Thank-you." He told her, more grateful than he had been that he had trusted Lincoln with his sister.

* * *

Abby watched as her daughter instructed the teenagers like a born leader, the pride washing over her as she realised just how much her daughter had accomplished in the group.

"Well that's something at least." Kane stated, watching the same thing.

"What?" She questioned him.

"They clearly know that those who had power on the ark still have power on the ground, they let Clarke lead their group, so they will still let the privilege lead."

"I don't think that correct." Lincoln spoke up, Octavia agreeing along with him.

"Excuse me?" Kane asked.

"Well, I could be wrong," Lincoln paused as he watched Clarke join their little group, "but I don't believe they follow Clarke because of her social standing."

"You think it's because she's a good leader within her own rights?" Abby asked, looking at her daughter proudly.

"No." He said simply, glancing to make sure Clarke wasn't glaring at him, continuing when he saw her watching with slight interest. "I don't say this to sound rude, but you sent your daughter, someone who is seen as being privileged and above everyone else in the sky and you expected these people who appear to hate those type of people to just accept her as one of them."

"Not one of them, the leader, whom she became." Abby insisted forcefully, surprised at her daughters lack of speaking up.

"Down here she was the minority, from what I saw when I would watch the camp, no one really respected her for anything but the person who knew a bit of medicine." Lincoln started.

"Then why do they respect her now?" Kane questioned with interest.

"Because my brother did." Octavia stated.

"I couldn't see it from a distance, but I had wondered why they were slowly accepting her. It wasn't until they captured me that I understood." Lincoln told the group.

"You were the grounder they captured?" Kane asked, surprised that the man was okay with helping those who had held him captive.

"Yes, and he tortured me." Lincoln said nonchalantly, having moved past what the kids had done.

"What?!" Abby exclaimed, looking at her daughter, hoping to be told otherwise.

"He only did it to find out what antidote to use on Finn and only because she wanted to know. He was the only one who let her into the room, the others kept trying to keep her out, but he was the leader. It was then that I realised that she was only able to have a say because he allowed it." The grounder informed them.

"So you're saying the monster that tortured you is the only reason my daughter is the leader?" Abby questioned, fuming at the allegation.

"He wasn't a monster!" Clarke exclaimed, speaking up for the first time since coming to the discussion.

"That's exactly what I'm saying. He might have been torturing me, but it was only so she could save her friend. I was surprised at first when he looked to her for permission, even more so when she got in his way at some point. I had been sure she was about to get hurt, from the anger in his eyes but that was only directed at me, instead he gently pulled her away." Lincoln explained, "I watched her stand up to him many a times and having seen what he did most that attempted to fight against him, I thought her to be very brave, but in that moment I realised she didn't do it because she was brave, she did it because she knew he wouldn't hurt her, she wasn't the slightest bit afraid of him."

"Then why do they follow her now?" Kane asked, curious.

"Over time they learnt to see her as their leader, as someone they held at a high regard, but that was only because they were following his actions. And they now follow her, even without him, because everyone in that group knows that's what he would have wanted." Lincoln finished, glancing at the girl in question, hoping she understood he wasn't trying to hurt her feelings, just tell it how he saw it.

"How dare you!" Abby said, after a long silence with everyone taking in the grounders words.

"He's right." Clarke told her mother.

"No he's not, these people would have come to see you as their leader anyway." Abby stated, clearly still under the belief she did the right thing sending her daughter.

"No, they wouldn't have and I don't know how you felt this would go down. These people hated me, they held me and Well's responsible for what the council did. All of them felt betrayed by the ark and they only had us to take it out on." Clarke shot back, knowing very well just how differently things could have gone if it hadn't been Bellamy who had lead. She had fought him a lot at the beginning to get her place, but had it been a number of other people in the group of teenagers that she was going up against, they would have not had a second thought about physically hurting her and where she might have still stood up for herself, it wouldn't have lasted long. He might have attempted to intimidate her by invading her space, by towering over her or by raising his voice, but she never once felt he would actually hurt her, and she knew he wouldn't let any of the others hurt her either.

"Finn would have stuck up for you." Abby tried, she had seen how much the boy watched her daughter and was glad she had someone looking out for her.

"They didn't respect him, they respected Bellamy." Clarke said, starting to feel exhausted at having to stand up for the person who had saved them all countless times, who had accepted her and ultimately killed because of her.

"They would have looked to you eventually."

"Most of them wouldn't have thought twice about hurting me, Mum." Clarke retaliated, glancing at her mother when she heard her gasp in shock at the accusation. "You didn't just send me down to a place that should have killed me, you sent me here with prisoners, quite a number of which were actually dangerous and what, I was supposed to feel safe with them?"

"He shot someone, Clarke, he tried to kill Jaha. He should have been the last person you trusted." Abby stated, trying to make her daughter understand.

"To be fair, Abby, he did only do that to be with his sister." Kane spoke up in a calm voice, he mightn't have agreed with the way Bellamy had gone about running things but he had to give him so respect as he did manage to somehow keep the camp not only alive, but safe.

"And that's supposed to make it all okay?" Abby shot back, annoyed that everyone seemed to have just accepted Lincoln's words.

"Not okay, but also not dangerous." Kane responded.

"How exactly does it not make him dangerous?" Abby asked, looking around the group accusingly.

"Everything he did was to protect Octavia, he would have done anything to keep her safe." Lincoln said, respect lacing his words, "and from what I saw, that went for Clarke too."

"He might have been overbearing a lot of the time, but he would never has physically hurt either of us, unlike the weather, which according to Lincoln is about to get worse." Octavia stated, effectively putting an end to the topic and moving on effortlessly.

* * *

Clarke sat on the edge of the campfire, watching as the majority of the camp slept in their tents. She knew like most nights, she should be attempting to get some sleep, with the moon high in the sky signalling just how late it was, but the exhaustion held feelings a bay, it allowed her to feel numb. The regret of shutting the door, the fear at looking after the group alone, at protecting them from the adults and the dangers of earth and the pain at losing him, was all pushed aside and would come back the moment she shut her eyes and then well into the day before the exhaustion came back.

"He wouldn't blame you, you know?" Finn said, his voice making her jump as he sat next to her.

"I know." She answered quietly.

"Do you?" He questioned as he played with a piece of half burnt wood.

"I know he wouldn't blame me, but I also know he wouldn't have done it." Clarke explained to him.

"Yes he would." He reasoned, trying to make her understand. "Just like I would have, he would have known it was the best thing, he would have put the group as a whole over losing one or two."

"No, he would have saved me, either by having the door shut behind him or by waiting for me." She threw back, choosing to ignore how tired she sounded and sending Finn a glare warning him off commenting.

"You know he would have put the group first, you're just looking for a reason to blame yourself." He told her, throwing the piece of wood back onto the fire.

"No, that's the reason I know he wouldn't blame me but he wouldn't have done it himself." She responded quietly.

"Just don't blame yourself for too long." He said, sighing when he realised he couldn't convince her. "Try to get some rest." He told her before retreating back to his tent.

"He's wrong you know" Jasper said, breaking the silence that had taken over. Clarke's head flew up to his, having thought he was sleep in his spot across from her. "He would have saved you."

"You really think so?" She asked, thinking something and knowing others thought it as well were two different things.

"Yeah, but I'm not saying this to make you feel guilty, he would have killed me if I even slightly insinuated that," he said, a smirk crossing his face, a smirk that turned into a genuine smile when he saw her lips curved slightly up, it was the closest thing to a smile he had seen on her in weeks. "Did anyone ever tell you what happened when the grounders had you and Finn?"

"With Murphy? No. There was never a chance." She answered, a frown crossing her face as she wondered what had happened.

"He got me, he was going to kill me because I saw him kill Miles." Jasper looked down. "I used my radio to let Bellamy know what was happening. He traded his life for mine."

"What!" Clarke gasped,

"Murphy wanted to kill him, he went in there knowing that Murphy would stop at nothing to kill him and yet he didn't even hesitate to hand himself over." He paused, turning to see how she was coping with the story. "And he damn nearly succeeded too. He was hanging from a beam in the drop ship when we finally got in, only just a live. He nearly died for me."

"Thank-you," she said, after a long silence, her words shaky.

"For what?" he asked, confused at her gratitude.

"For telling me." She answered softly.

"Finn was right about one thing." Jasper told her hesitantly.

"What?" Her question coming out sharper than she expected.

"You need to get some sleep." He responded, quickly scurrying off before she had a chance to retort.

* * *

Just over half a day's walk later, they finally arrived at a village full of well-made huts and house like structures, some made from wood, others from a mud-brick type of construction. Bellamy stared at in all in wonder, soaking it all in as his horse slowly walked into the middle of the village. He was so caught up in everything around him, he never even noticed as Emily stopped his horse in front of a smaller, wooden hut and Henry moved to help him dismount.

"This is my place, I figured that you could stay here so it would be easier to keep an eye on your healing." Henry told him, breaking him out of his trance.

"Thank-you." Bellamy responded, as he was helped off the horse. "This place is unbelievable."

"It is something." Henry said, leading him to a seat out the front of the hut.

"I'm just going to go help mum unpack, but then I'll show you the animals we have here." Emily told them, the excitement at being home and having a new friend to show everything to clear across her face.

"I can't wait." Bellamy responded genuinely, he had always been amazed by the creatures on earth while on the ark and a part of him still couldn't believe he was actually in a position to meet some of them.

"I envy you, a bit." Henry said with a smirk.

"Why?" Bellamy asked, surprised at the statement.

"You're seeing everything for the first time, things that we grow up with as being normal seem so crazy and incredible to you, I just wonder what it would be like to do that." Henry answered, his eyes spreading across the village in front of them.

"It's indescribable," Bellamy stated simply.

* * *

"Hey Clarke" Jasper said happily as he and Miller made their way over to where she was sorting through medical supplies in the makeshift hospital.

"We thought you might like to see these." Miller stated pulling out a handful of arrows and a bow.

"You made a bow and arrows?!" She responded surprised.

"Lincoln showed us how to and how to use it." Jasper answered proudly, smirking as she took the weapon off of Miller to try it out.

"We were thinking that we could make some more and start teaching the hunters to use them, that way we can hunt from a further distance and never hurts to have more weapons." Miller informed her, watching as she played with the bow.

"That's a great idea Miller, start with the people you think will learn quickest so that they can help you's teach others." She told him, as she handed the bow back.

"Sure thing, Clarke." Miller responded.

"Octavia can help us too, she's nearly as good a shot as Lincoln." Jasper spoke up, laughing at the idea of Octavia teaching the guard to use the bow.

"Sounds good." Clarke said, before turning to look at the horizon behind them. "What do you think about the fire in the distance that has the guard worried?"

"I don't think it's anything to be concerned about, it's quite a distance away and they aren't trying to keep themselves secret." Miller answered, switching easily between instructor and head of security.

"So there's nothing to worry about?" Clarke questioned, she wasn't concerned about the fire herself, but was glad that her lack of concern wasn't misguided.

"Nah, not yet. I've got people keeping an eye on it and a couple more on watch but I think the guards just overreacting." Miller told her, pride at knowing more than the guard seeping into his statement.

"We tried telling them, but they didn't listen." Jasper said, glancing at the older men on high alert on the perimeter.

"Just let them do what they want, and do what you think is right." Clarke instructed, glancing at her mother approaching the med tent.

"Always do." Miller responded with a laugh, as he and Jasper moved off to find more people to help with their bow and arrow quest.

Turning back to the supplies she was ordering, Clarke couldn't help but be glad that the 100 still reported to her, still went to her before the adults.

"Why do you trust Miller?" Her mother questioned, once she was alone with her daughter.

"What?" Clarke asked, surprised that that was her mother's line of questioning today.

"You basically have given him control of security, you must trust him." Abby stated, judgement lacing her words and the unsaid 'you shouldn't trust him' hanging on the air.

"Yeah, I guess I do." Clarke told her, frowning as her mother looked at her disapprovingly.

"Why do you? I mean he doesn't fit in with Finn, Jasper and the others you seem to trust." Abby asked, trying to come off as if she was attempting to understand her daughter's choices, but coming off as more an interrogation.

"He knew how security was ran at the drop ship and the others listen to him." Clarke reasoned, not wanting to tell her that Bellamy had told her to keep him close, to trust him, something that she was grateful he did, now more than ever.

"So in other words, he was Bellamy's second?" Abby stated more than asked, as she watched her daughter fiddle with the supplies in her hand.

"Sort of." Clarke said, attempting to be vague.

"If anything that's a reason not to trust him." Abby scolded, shaking her head in wonder as she tried to understand how she manage to teach her daughter so badly on the 'who to trust' front.

"Well I do." Clarke stated, walking away from her mother and the seemingly endless line of questions and judgement she always had for her.

* * *

The first week Bellamy spent at the farmer's village, he mainly just walked around looking at everything and anything he could. His need to take in as much information as possible was only helped along by the citizens of the villages' willingness to teach. He quickly become quite knowledgeable in a large number of things, not only about farming but also about the history of the earth since the people from the ark had left it. The sheer amount of things that had happened in the last hundred years, and the number of things to survive it all, astounded him.

As his injuries started to heal and he was able to do more, Bellamy told them about the ark, about his people's history and as much as he could about the things he had picked up here and there. He started teaching them how to defend themselves better and how to make half decent weapons, he taught them some of the medical things he had picked up not only from Clarke, but also from looking after his sister for so many years without the option of a doctor.

* * *

Tumblr: adangerousbond


	3. Chapter 3

I just wanted to say a massive thank-you to everyone that has review, favourite-d, followed or read this story, it truly means a lot.

I promise Clarke and Bellamy will be re-united next chapter, I just wanted to show that Clarke could run the group well by herself, even if she didn't believe it herself. So that is mainly what this chapter is.

Enjoy!

* * *

"He loves you, you know?" Abby told her daughter as she came to stand next to her.

Clarke had been standing on the edge of the camp, watching as a group of people were working on building a house like structure, something they had begun building a couple weeks ago, just at the start of the tree line at the lake the rest of the ship landed at, with half a dozen already made. It was an ideal place to make a permanent camp, with a large supply of clean water, and wood with plenty of areas to grow fruit trees and good hunting areas nearby.

"Who?" Clarke questioned, although she had a fair idea who her mother was talking about.

"Finn." Abby responded instantly, looking towards the young boy she had admired from the moment he stumbled into camp and whom she had grown to like even more when she had realised how much he loved her daughter. Her daughters glance at her was all the answer she needed.

"When are you going to do something about it?" Abby asked after a few minutes of getting no other response.

"I have other concerns." Clarke stated, hating the way her mother had stepped back into her life as though nothing had changed, as though she hadn't killed her father and as though she hadn't sent her to earth without the slightest idea that it would be safe.

"You are allowed to have fun, Clarke, you don't have to be serious all the time." She told her, wishing her daughter would realise the weight of the world didn't rest on her shoulders.

"I can have fun when I know everyone's safe." Clarke countered, scanning the tree line as if to check for threats.

"That's not your concern anymore, let the guard handle safety." Her mother told her, the words stinging at the blatantness of the statement.

"Hey Princess," Finn said as he and Octavia walked over, all of them noticing as Octavia and Clarke visibly flinched at the nickname. "Sorry."

"What?" Clarke asked sounding colder than she meant to but the nickname catching her off guard. Abby had heard him call her it once or twice in the beginning but he had quickly stopped at the anger that crossed her face, she didn't understand why her daughter had hated the nickname so much but figured it was just because she had always hated nicknames.

"Monty found some plants he thought you might like to see, I'll take you there." Octavia answered, giving Clarke a way out, one she gladly took.

"Thanks," Clarke told her as they move towards the forest on the other side of the lake.

"I miss him too." Octavia said, looking across the mountain edges. "Sometimes I wonder how it would be different if he was here."

"Me too." Clarke answered quietly, glancing down at the ground.

"Sometimes I wonder how you would be different if he was here," She paused looking at the blonde next to her, her statement making her eyes shoot to Octavia's, attempting to look angry at the statement, but exhaustion clouding the anger. "I mean, when you had him around to share the burden, you always seemed more relaxed, happier and when you weren't he could calm you down. I don't even remember the last time I saw your smile."

"Me neither." Clarke responded honestly, glancing around to make sure no one was in earshot of their conversation.

"It's okay, you know." Octavia told her once she realised what she was looking around for.

"What?" Clarke questioned, the word lacking the sharpness it had contained not long ago.

"To be sad, to miss him." Octavia explained, trying to understand the blonde's thoughts as she stared straight ahead.

"I just feel so alone." Clarke whispered, tears treating to fall as she broke the silence they had lapsed into. "Which is stupid because I have my mum back, I have you and Finn and everybody else, but I feel so alone."

"It's not stupid. You two were a team." Octavia told her, she mightn't have always agreed with their choices, but it had been clear to her that it had been that strange little team of two that had kept their camp alive.

"I just feel like no one's on my side, not like he was. He was always on my side, even when he didn't agree with me, he would still stick with me." Clarke continued, glad that there was another person in the camp that she felt somewhat comfortable talking about things too.

"I know it's not the same, but we are all on your side, we will follow you anywhere." Octavia informed her, giving Monty a quick wave as they approached his side of the lake.

"Thanks, but you shouldn't put so much trust in me." Clarke said with a humourless laugh.

"We all know you would keep us safe." Octavia stated simply, her faith in Clarke had increased significantly since arriving back at the adults' camp.

"God. I don't even remember what feeling safe is like." Clarke said, pausing to finish her statement out of the range of Monty's ears. "I always felt safe around him, I always knew he would protect me."

"He would have done anything to keep us safe." Octavia said, before continuing to Monty.

"Thanks, Octavia, for listening." Clarke told her sincerely, giving her a small smile in thanks.

"Anytime." She said, before reaching Monty. "Hey Monty, Clarkes here to see that plant you found."

"Same goes for you too," Clarke said to Octavia, Monty looking at them confusedly.

* * *

Bellamy had started teaching anyone who wanted to learn some basic fighting skills and had been pleasantly surprised at the villager's willingness to learn. He had also been surprised at their lack of skill, how they had ever survived was beyond him, but he trained them none the less. Their ability to make tools came in handy when he decided they should learn not only how to fight, but also how to fight with weapons. After the first couple weeks, he was actually beginning to have a talented group of people that he would have felt safe going into battle with. For their first test, he took them into the nearby forest and they spent a whole day being silent hunters, slipping through the forest unheard and unseen, upon their return with a variety of deer, rabbits and a few other strange animals, the village had had a large feast. Bellamy had felt a tinge of sadness as the sounds of people eating, laughing and drinking couldn't help but make him think of his people and he just hoped they were okay. That night he had seen a shooting star, which reminded him of when Clarke had brought up wishing upon them and he couldn't help but wish that he would return to his people as soon as possible.

* * *

"How are you feeling, Raven?" Clarke asked as she came to sit next to the still recovering mechanic sitting off to the side of the fire.

"Like I never got shot." Raven answered, showing her the handful of wires she was playing with as proof.

"Glad to hear it, sorry I haven't really been checking up on you." Clarke told her as she attempted a smile as an apology.

"Its fine, your mother has been being overbearing enough for the both of you." Raven said with a laugh, she had overtime come to think of Abby as a mother figure, even if she currently had a shaky relationship with her real daughter, she was still doing better than Raven's mother had.

"She's a bit like that." Clarke responded, glancing to her mother instructing some kids on the proper way to treat small wounds when away from camp.

"I think she's unsure if you have forgiven her or not." Raven stated, she wasn't quite sure what Abby had done and was slightly afraid to ask, as she was fairly certain it would have to be major for Clarke to still be angry after all, this was the girl who had quickly become her friend even after finding out she was Finn's girlfriend.

"I'm unsure as well." Clarke said quietly, choosing to watch the flames in the fire rather than the girl asking questions.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up." Raven apologised.

"How are the radios going?" Clarke asked after a moment.

"Monty and I have managed to make enough that all the guard groups both from the ark and the 100, have at least one. We have so much more wire and whatnot to use with their dropship as well." Raven spoke with an excitement that made Clarke smile, her passion for her craft was something that Clarke had admired since she met her.

"That's good." Clarke told her, she was glad that the camp was starting to rebuild not only to the degree their first had, but also beyond.

"Some of the hunters found a car not too far and they think they might be able to drag it out. Figured I might be able to get it up and running." Raven informed her, pointing off to a path going into the forest.

"That's awesome, but what would you use as fuel?" Clarke questioned, she had wondered if the vehicles in the forest would be useable but had no idea if it was even feasible.

"I'm not sure, Monty thinks he might be able to make something but it depends what it ran on and what still works." Raven responded vaguely, she knew that Clarke wouldn't understand if she went on a ramble about her plans and that the blonde girl only wanted a simple answer.

"Let me know how it goes." Clarke said as she stood to go help a hunter that was walking towards them with a trail of blood down their leg.

"Of course." Raven called after her as she had already made it to the limping hunter.

* * *

"I was going to go do some exploring in the forest, want to join me?" Finn asked, approaching Clarke as she worked on cleaning the makeshift table in hut that had just been finished that was to be their hospital type building.

"Thanks, but I have some things I need to do." She politely declined, barely looking up from her job at hand.

"Come on, you haven't left camp in ages." Finn wined, his tone both annoyed and accusing.

"I've been busy." She said, glaring in his direction.

"You need to relax, to have some fun." He responded, reaching out to lightly tug her arm away from the table.

"I need to help mum with some things." She stated, shaking off his grip.

"Oh, I fine here Clarke, your welcome to go have a break." Her mother spoke up, hearing her daughter mention her.

"See, you're free." He told her, his grin growing.

"Finn, I said no." Clarke sternly said, she wasn't in the mood to go into the woods with him, nor was she in the mood to fight about whether she should or not, she had a camp to run, no matter what some people had to say about it.

"Go on, Honey, you might find something useful or at least relax a bit." Abby pushed, her opinion on the people in her daughter's life clear.

"Relax in the forest that tries to kill us at every turn, sure that sounds like a good idea." Clarke told them sarcastically.

"You used to go into it all the time." Finn pointed out, making Clarke even angrier. It hadn't been like she oftenly had gone off on walks just for the hell of it, there had always been a reason to, a reason that outweighed the dangers and when there hadn't been, she would only go just out of the wall, the wall she always knew was safely guarded.

"Ahh, there you are Clarke." Miller said, rushing up to the group before Clarke had a chance to respond. "I needed to talk to you about something."

"Sure thing Miller." Clarke said, throwing a fake smile at her mother and Finn before excusing herself to follow Miller.

"A couple of the guys on guard at the south side," He started saying as they walked away, still in earshot.

"Thanks Miller." She said as he stopped talking once out of range for them to hear.

"You looked like you wanted out, plus I heard the end of it." He laughed, "they just really couldn't take no, could they?"

"I don't think they know the meaning of the word." Clarke answered, smiling back, grateful for the save. "Was there actually something you needed to tell me?"

"Nah, I've got it all covered." He responded.

"Thank-you, for taking care of everything." She told him sincerely, she had no idea how she would have ran things without his help.

"It's nothing, I'm just glad you let me. I know that you didn't have to let me, now that Bellamy's not around." Miller stated, he had initially been concerned how things would turn out after what happened with the grounder war, but his concerns had quickly diminished over time.

"He trusted you and respected you. I'm just following his recommendation to keep you close." She told him, "Plus, you're pretty good at what you do."

"Really? He said that?" He asked, surprise and pride lacing his words.

"He thought highly of you." Clarke confirmed her statement.

"Thanks, Clarke, it means a lot to know that." He said quietly, still taking in her words.

"I'm just glad you didn't turn them against me after I shut the door." She stated with a laugh, trying to lighten the seriousness of what she said.

"He wouldn't have wanted that, he would come back from the dead just to kill me if I did." He responded with a smirk, before glancing off towards the other side of the lake. "Anyway, I need to go check on the idiots trying to play horse whisperer and tame some of the wild horses we found a ridge over."

"How's that going?" She asked enthusiastically, it seemed that people found something new every day out here, some good, and some bad.

"Took them hours to find them yesterday, and ten minutes to lose them. But I figure as long as they aren't endangering anyone, they could have their fun. Hell, maybe they might succeed." He answered as they both laughed at the thought of them trying to catch wild horses that could quite possibly never seen a human in their life, or even for generations.

* * *

It took four weeks for Bellamy's leg to heal enough for him to consider making a long journey alone, four weeks that had him slowly travelling further and further away from his people, further away from Clarke. He was well aware of the torment she must be putting herself through, at the guilt of believing she killed him, he only hoped that the fact Finn had been missing from the drop ship that he had survived and found group. At least knowing she wasn't responsible from his death would ease her guilt dramatically.

"Are you leaving soon?" Emily asked, helping him clean up the area he had claimed in Henry's hut.

"I'm afraid so, I have to get back to my people." He told her.

"I'm going to miss you." She responded, leaping forward to hug him.

"Me too." He said with a sad smile, the little girl reminded him so much of his little sister and he had begun to feel like he had another little sister. "But you will see me again when you come to trade next winter."

"But that's so long away." She wined, upset that her friend was leaving.

"Emily, sweetheart, stop making it harder on him. He misses his people, remember how much you missed as when you got lost?" Mary told her daughter, having entered the small hut.

"I hadn't thought about it like that, sorry Bell." Emily said, having begun using his sisters nickname for him early on, something that made him smile but also feel sad, although the sadness was fading the closer he got to being back with his sister

"That's okay Emily, but your mother's right, I do miss my people." He informed the little girl, trying to hide just how eager he was to return to his people.

"We have packed a bag of supplies that should last you long enough to get there, plus a map and some seeds that your people can plant to grow food." Mary explained, gesturing for them to follow her outside.

"Thank-you, you and your people are too kind." Bellamy said, smiling at the people waiting to say goodbye.

"There is also a horse that you can take, we would give you more but unfortunately we only have a limited number we can afford to lose and we need the others to trade." She responded, a quick smile in acceptance of his gratitude was her only sign she had heard his thankyou.

"I couldn't, it's too much. Plus I can walk." He attempted, not wanting to accept too much but also knowing that his attempts would most likely be futile.

"Nonsense, you have taught my people so much and pulled your weight in the fields the moment you got here. Plus your leg is barely healed, the stress of the walk would most likely make it worse." Henry spoke up from where he stood next to the horse

"I can manage." Bellamy tried to refuse once more.

"You are taking the horse, end of discussion." Mary said firmly, her mothering instincts winning out.

"Okay." He conceded, moving toward the awaiting horse.

"His names Shadow," Emily said excitedly as she patted the big black horse's neck.

"Looks like you're stuck with me, Shadow." He said, stroking his dark face, he was still amazed by this creature that he had though he'd never see in real life. Weeks ago, when Henry had first started to teach him how to ride, he had been in awe of the animal, especially after he had spent his first journey to the village on one, now he saw the animal as a friend, although the awe still remained to a degree. The horse stood while he mounted, its calmness bringing a sense of calm to himself.

"If there's ever anything any of you need, don't hesitate to ask." He told the on lookers, still surprised at the

"Safe journey." Mary told him.

After saying goodbye to everyone else, he used his limited horse riding lessons to move the horse down the dirt road the lead into the beginning of the forest he had known so well. Looking about, he watched the huts of the community he had begun to feel a part of, shrink as he moved closer to the community he had lead.

* * *

Approaching the Octavia catching some fish in the lake, Clarke sat on the shore next to her.

"Any good at this?" Octavia asked, breaking the silence.

"Not really." Clarke answered, smirking at the pile of fish next to Octavia, "but you clearly are."

"It's super easy, let me show you." Octavia offered, trying to hand the makeshift fishing rod to her.

"Thanks, but I really just came down here to escape the interrogators." Clarke declined, not wanting to focus that much at the moment.

"They back asking about Mt Weather?" Octavia asked, her eyes never leaving the spot her line hit the water.

"And the grounders, and what I can tell them about it all. Finn told them that the grounders held us captive and they want just ask about everything." Clarke explained, there were only so many questions that she could take.

"I think it's because Lincoln said he wouldn't tell them anymore, as he says that they aren't a threat." Octavia said apologetically.

"They have it in their heads that I'm traumatised by it all, I think my mother's trying to use it as a reason to push me always from the 'council'-like meetings they have, to stop me from being involved in running things." Clarke told the brunette next to her, she could feel the questioning stare of her mother but refused to turn around and give her mother the satisfaction.

"You could just answer their questions." Octavia suggested.

"None of them, especially Finn and my mum would understand what I did, they would hate me." Clarke said after a moment.

"Why? What happened at Mt Weather?" Octavia questioned, suddenly intrigued.

"It's about what happened before that." Clarke responded, closing her eyes for a second to gather herself, sometimes the horrors of the things she had seen and done were just too much.

"When you shut the door?" Octavia continued when Clarke shook her head. "When the grounders had you."

"I killed someone, O. I could have easily let him survive but instead I slashed his throat." She looked at the younger girl, tears in her eyes. "I held my hand over his month to stop his screams and I watched the light fade from his eyes, I watched as the he died, because of me."

"You only did it to save yourself, they would understand." Octavia tried to reason, as she tried to keep the surprise out of her voice.

"They wouldn't, they would believe I had other options." Clarke responded.

"It was your life or his, I would have done the same thing." Octavia told her after turning back to watch her line.

"But they wouldn't have, and they wouldn't forgive what I've done, what I have been capable of doing." Clarke explained, she knew that her mother could never know about a large amount of what haunted her at night, that she would never understand.

"Bell would have, he would have understood." Octavia said quietly, pulling in a fish she had managed to catch.

"He told me once that who we are and who we have to be are two different things." Clarke spoke up once Octavia had removed the fish and flung the line back into the water in front of them.

"Sounds like him." Octavia responded, smiling at the thought of how good a brother Bellamy could be, once you got past the over protectiveness and never letting her out of his sight.

"He would always be the bad guy, do the terrible things and carry the weight of all of that, just so I didn't have to be. But he got that I could have, that I had the ability too, he just didn't want me to have to." Clarke continued, glancing at possibly the one person left on Earth that would understand.

"He used to do that when I was growing up, he bare the bulk of it all, so that I wouldn't have to. I never once thought of myself as something bad, because he never allowed me too." Octavia said, remembering back to her childhood. She might have spent a lot of it locked in a cupboard, but a least she had been loved and looked after.

"He would never have judged me for what I did. I would never have thought twice about telling him, because I knew he accepted that I had a darker side." Clarke spoke after smiling at Octavia's statement, she had wondered oftenly what it would have been like to have a sibling, how things would have been different.

"I don't judge you, just so you know." Octavia told her after a moment as if she had been contemplating how to answer.

"I know, that's why I told you, I had to tell someone." Clarke responded, feeling slightly better for telling her.

"I forgive you, you know?" Octavia asked, ignoring her line to look at the blonde at her side.

"For shutting the door?" Clarke questioned with a frown.

"No, well yes I forgive you for that, but I also forgive you for what happened to Lincoln." Octavia explained.

"I made the wrong call, you shouldn't forgive me for that." Clarke told her as she looked back down at the water, still ashamed about what she allowed to happen.

"You were trying to save Finn, you weren't thinking straight." Octavia reasoned.

"But I should have stopped it, not allowed it to occur." Clarke countered.

"I could see after it that you hated what you did, what had occurred." Octavia said, giving her a sad smile.

"I still do." Clarke stated.

"I also saw you and my brother after it, I remember it because it surprised me that you didn't shy at his touch, at his presence even after what he had done not long beforehand." Octavia responded slowly, thinking through her words before speaking them. "But I guess that was just one of the times he took the burden away from you."

"It was, he had done it because I asked, because I didn't want to do it myself but his actions hadn't scared me, they had made me feel sick, not as much as they made him feel sick but they didn't scare me." Clarke told her, playing with some sand-like substance next to her.

"I was always surprised at much unafraid you were of him, he had everyone in camp believing he was fearsome, everyone except you." Octavia stated with a smirk, a part of her was glad that Clarke was willing to talk with her because she knew it would help the blonde, but a part of her was glad because she finally got to question things from her long list of things to question about the blonde's relationship with her brother.

"I guess he just never really scared me, well maybe a little in the beginning but I quickly realised he never would have done anything to hurt me." Clarke answered once she had thought through the statement.

"I think he liked that you weren't afraid of him, that you could see he wasn't the person everyone thought he was." Octavia informed her, her brother had always been pretty good at judging people, even if she had questioned his alliance with Clarke initially, but he wasn't the best at showing his true self in return.

"I'm sorry, Octavia, I'm sorry for making you talk about him, for making you talk to me about him." Clarke said quickly, making a move to leave.

"Don't be silly, I like to talk about him, I don't want to forget him and talking helps." Octavia responded, gesturing for her to stay put.

"But I shouldn't make this all about what me, you lost your brother and that's the bigger loss." Clarke stated apologetically.

"In a way, but I have Lincoln, and Monty and Jasper AND you." Octavia told her, "I have people I can talk to."

"I do too." Clarke answered a little too quickly.

"But you chose not to, you don't want them seeing you as weak or using it against you. I saw you do it back at the camp, you didn't really talk to people about things but you did seem to open up way more with Bellamy than with anyone else." Octavia responded, calling her lie.

"He always listened, he didn't shoot down my concerns or make me feel stupid." Clarke told her, glad that this was a trait that seemed to be in both siblings, at least when they felt like it.

"And you think your mother would?" Octavia question, she knew full well what Abby had done and felt that she should just be glad her daughter still talks to her and that she had no right to judge anything her daughter was prepared to tell her.

"It's bad enough having to stand up for him to her, let alone having to deal with her judging him for missing him." Clarke answered, looking at Octavia with the hint of a smile. "You're the only one I feel that I can talk about him with."

"Can I ask a question?" Octavia asked, taking her time before continuing after Clarke's nod. "Did you love him?"

"Octavia!" Clarke exclaimed, the bluntness of the question surprising her.

"Did you?" Octavia pushed.

"I had never really thought about it until I was locked in that room, with no idea what was going to happen and only knowing I had killed him." Clarke answered with a sigh, she truly hadn't given it much thought before then, it wasn't as if they had the time and it definitely wasn't as if they discussed things like that.

"And now?" Octavia asked, she was too far gone into the topic to drop it now.

"I think I could have." Clarke responded quietly, the admission causing silence to roll over them.

"I think he could have loved you too, once he admitted it to himself." Octavia responded with a smirk, she had loved her brother but knew how stubborn he could be when he wanted to be.

* * *

Two days into his journey, Bellamy had never been more grateful for horses, the distance he had already travelled would have taken at least a week on foot and though he was sore, it wasn't as bad as if he had walked. He had long ago realised why people had begun riding them so many years ago.

"How about we have a short rest, hey Shadow?" He asked his horse as he dismounted and lead it to the nearby stream for a drink.

He had taken to talking to his horse, not only because it was his only company but because it relaxed him and Shadow. He would tell the horse of threats nearby and about the food they would stop to eat. Shadow seemed to most enjoy the songs he would start singing, songs he had learned back on the ark, something that felt like a lifetime ago, but somewhere along this journey he had found that he had made friends with his horse, something that made him feel safer when he would have short naps.

"We don't have much longer now, Shadow." He said, looking at his map. "If we continue at this pace, we should be there by tomorrow afternoon."

Staring at his reflection in the still water, Bellamy couldn't help but laugh at how much he looked like a grounder. He had spent so long trying to fight against them that his words to the camp so long ago had actually come true, he was in fact a grounder. He had skins as a jacket, a horse decked in leather and a fluffy rabbit skin hat. He washed away some of the dirt that was covering his face, making a burn scar on his forehead, just before his hairline, more visible.

"I can't wait til Clarke meets you, she'll love you." He whispered to Shadow before remounting and returning to their correct pathway. The black horse side stepped in protest at the slow speed, having regained a burst of energy after having a quick rest.

* * *

Tumblr: adangerousbond


	4. Chapter 4

So guys, finally an update!  
Because it's been so long, I made this chapter extra-long.

A massive thank you to everyone who reads/reviews etc, this story has been fun to write and I'm glad people like it, I have at least another chapter which is nearly finished and probably one more after that.

Who's excited for season two next week? I cannot wait!  
Enjoy!

* * *

"Look at this Clarke!" Octavia yelled excitedly as she burst through the opening of the hospital hut.

"What?" She questioned tiredly, her attempt at matching the younger girl's enthusiasm failing.

"When was the last time you slept?" Octavia queried, concern quickly taking over.

"What did you want to show me?" Clarke asked again, ignoring the question.

"This way." Octavia answered, gesturing for Clarke to follow her.

"Is that a paddock?" Clarke questioned confused to the construction that she had been brought to.

"Yep!" Octavia confirmed with a massive smile. "Someone suggested trying to catch some of the boar and start trying to tame them in order to breed them. It's the start of our very own farm."

"That's pretty smart." Clarke got the girls excitement, although a little put off by not being informed about the plan, something that had been happening a lot more lately.

"They just have to work out how to keep them in while they are still wild, hence why it's kinda big and how to get them in in the first place." Octavia explained, hitting a slat of wood on the top of the fence to show its strength.

"I wonder if there's sheep anywhere. That would be pretty cool." Clarke said, looking off into the forest and wondering what animals it hid.

"Or Alpaca's, I always found them weird." Octavia stated with a laugh.

"Donkey's would be awesome, I remember seeing that you could get miniature ones, though who knows what the radiation could have done to any of the surviving animals." Clarke responded, leaning against the wooden fence in thought.

"Sometimes I wonder about the zoo animals." Octavia told her, glancing around to see if anyone was near enough to listen in and was glad to know they were alone, most of the older ark survivors looked at her as if she was stupid when she brought up what could and couldn't have survived.

"If they could have survived?" Clarke asked as she watched Octavia's actions.

"Yeah," Octavia answered, "and if we are just going to come across a tiger or an elephant or even a panda bear one day."

"Well they would have been in the more populated areas, so I guess they would have had a smaller chance of survival, but I suppose they could have escaped, or let go. Not to mention a lower amount of the species would decrease the survival and breeding rates." Clarke responded sadly, the scientific side of her coming to life. "But then again, a lot of the animals we have seen probably shouldn't have survived."

"So anything's possible?" Octavia asked, glancing at the still forest as if expecting some exotic animal to suddenly make itself known.

"Anything's possible." Clarke confirmed with a smirk.

* * *

Later that night, when her mother came to sit with her in front of the fire Clarke questioned why no one had told her of the paddocks.

"Not everything is your concern." Abby said, glancing at her daughter.

"These are my people, they are my concern." Clarke shot back at the statement.

"They're not just your people, they are ours as well, and we agreed to let you maintain some level of control because we believed it would make the transition smoother but you don't need to know everything that's going on." Abby tried to explain.

"That's not how running things work, either everything's your concern or none of it is." Clarke responded calmly, trying to keep her words between the two of them as the last thing she needed was someone stating their opinion on the matter.

"Honey, we have a lot more experience at this than you, your just a kid, I wish you would start acting like one." Abby stated, she had watched her daughter carry the weight of the world on her shoulders and was sure that there wasn't much more she could take.

"I stopped acting like one the moment I was sent to this place against my will and forced to survive, something mind you I managed to do." Clarke told her mother, the anger seeping into her voice.

"And I'm proud of what you achieved here, but you can share the burden now, it's not all on you." Abby sighed at the anger on Clarke's face.

"I did share the burden, this isn't me trying to carry it all, this is me trying to still have a say." Clarke explained, wishing her mother would stop trying to control her life, a life that she had been not only quick to lock up but even quicker to sentence to a likely death.

"But what I'm saying is you don't need to anymore, you can go back to not having to make the hard decisions and not having to be the one everyone looks to for an answer." Abby responded as she reached across to place her hand on Clarke's shoulder, an action that stopped nearly as quickly as it begun as Clarke quickly flinched away.

"I was a good leader, we were good leaders, and you can't just take that away because you decided you outrank me." Clarke said.

"I do outrank you." Abby stated simply.

"Not here, not on earth. You haven't had to face a fraction of what we had too, you haven't seen anything as bad as what we did before you arrive." Clarke shot back, frustrated at her mother's dismissal of her power.

"I'm sorry you got put through that, but did you ever think that things would have gone smoother if you hadn't let Bellamy Blake run things the way he wanted." Abby said in a motherly voice, attempting to be both comforting and accusing.

"He was a good leader and I didn't just let him do whatever he wanted." Clarke told her mother.

"None of what I've heard has suggested that, a good leader doesn't use so much violence to lead. He led using fear when he didn't need to." Abby responded with disgust.

"He did everything he could to keep 100 teenagers safe, you can't judge his actions when you weren't a part of it." Clarke stated, the amount of judgement that the rest of the ark survivors had placed upon her and the rest of the 100 was one of the main things that pissed her off about them, they hadn't been a part of what they had and they had no right to judge what they hadn't had to live through.

"There's a difference between doing things to keep people safe and doing things to give yourself more power." Abby reasoned, trying to make her daughter change her mind.

"I thought the way you did too, in the beginning. I thought he was just power hungry and leading us down a dangerous path." Clarke answered honestly gaining a raised eyebrow from her mother.

"Why did you change your mind?" Abby asked after a moment, glad that a part of her daughter had questioned him, meaning a part of her was still uncorrupted.

"I realised he didn't want any of it, his only goal had been to keep his sister safe and he had suddenly found himself being the person the camp looked up too, that they turned to for guidance." Clarke answered quietly, refusing to meet her mother's disapproving stare.

"That doesn't excuse what he did once they gave him his power." Abby stated.

"He was still learning, it's like he had any idea what he was doing. He did the best he could given the circumstances. He listened to me, he might not have always agreed but he listened." Clarke responded with force, she felt like their conversations just went around in circles and were starting to seriously get on her nerves.

"Of course he did, he would have been stupid not to." Abby said with some pride to her voice.

"He saved my life on the second day on earth, back when it would have been in his better interest to let me die." Clarke stated, remembering back to when she was falling to her death and the surprise when she realised that it had been him to instinctively reach out to stop her fall.

"So that's why you stick up for him, because he saved your life once?" Abby questioned feeling as though she was starting to get to the bottom of it all.

"Multiple times. He saved my life multiple times." Clarke told her mother and had to hold back a smirk at the surprise that filtered across her face.

* * *

The guards noticed him first, the dark figure on horseback nearly a mile away and the message quickly moved around the camp. Most of the members were more excited over the talk of a horse than the threat of a grounder.

"Are we sure there's only one?" Lincoln asked as he and Octavia joined Clarke, her mother and Kane.

"Pretty sure, they aren't attempting to stay hidden." Kane answered as he continued to stare off at the tree line.

"And they are galloping?" Lincoln questioned, glancing in the same direction.

"Definitely going fast." Jasper said as he and Monty moved towards them.

"What is it?" Clarke asked the grounder, who clearly had some issues with what was occurring.

"It's just that horse riders always ride in teams and would not be so open in their arrival at a large camp unless meaning to charge an army in." he responded, confused at what he was hearing.

"Well it defiantly looks like a grounder." Jasper stated, worry lacing his face.

"Maybe they are running from something?" Octavia asked Lincoln, who shook his head knowing any grounder would not run into a populated area just to get away from something, especially an unknown area.

"Or maybe they don't know we are here?" Kane threw forward his idea.

"No, they are coming to us, they know we are here." Jasper answered quickly.

"Should we be concerned about them?" Abby asked.

"I don't think so, one against an army isn't a good bet. I doubt they are here to hurt us." Lincoln stated, he knew that most grounders would be able to take on a number of people at once but none were stupid enough to try to take on an entire village.

"There they are!" Octavia exclaimed, pointing to the dark figure emerging at the tree line.

"Oh my god it's a horse!" Monty said excitedly.

"It's stunning." Abby stated, almost in shock at finally seeing one in person after hearing Lincoln and Octavia talk about them.

"Why have they stopped?" Jasper asked confusedly as he realised that the figure wasn't getting closer.

"They are worried we might shoot." Octavia responded, turning to Kane to remedy the situation.

"Lower your weapons." Kane said through his radio. "But keep on alert."

"Copy that." The radio buzzed and the instant the guns lowered the horse galloped toward the small group.

* * *

The first sign of the camp was its smoke, trailing high into the air above it. That smoke gave Bellamy hope, he knew he was nearly back to his sister, his princess and his people.

"We're nearly there boy," he told Shadow, as the two of them stood staring at the smoke, catching their breath and readying themselves for the last tiny stretch of their journey.

Pushing the horse into a steady gallop, they moved quickly toward the camp. He noticed the guards on the boundary and was concerned for a moment they might fire, but hoped that after having had grounders release the 100, they may be more cautious to fire upon one person. Nether the less, once arriving on the boundary in a large gap between two guards, he pulled Shadow up.

"Easy Shadow," he said, as the stallion pranced on the spot, clearly agitated by the guns pointed at him and the excitement of his rider.

From his spot upon the horse, Bellamy caught sight of Octavia and Clarke and for a moment he nearly forgot that he had guns trained on him and was ready to charge towards, but his horse's well timed snort stopped him. Instead he waited, knowing that they would understand he was waiting for an all clear, even if they didn't realise who he was, and watched for a sign to move.

Seeing the guards drop their weapons, he released the impatient horse and galloped to the small group awaiting to question him. As he neared, his face still covered enough by his fur hat as to not give away his identity, he watched as the group and others nearby watched his horse in awe. Sliding to a stop in front of them, he kept his head low as he dismounted Shadow.

"Who are you?" Kane asked in an authoritative voice, watching as he turned away from his horse.

"Bellamy?!" Jasper exclaimed, voicing what everyone else was in too much shock to.

He watched as the recognition and shock flashed across Clarke's face and before he had a chance to say anything the blonde had thrown herself at him, her arms wrapping around his neck as she clung to his warm, alive body and his arm wrapping around her waist pulling her closer as the other drew his sister into the hug, having seen her hesitation when Clarke had bet her to him. He dipped his head between his two girls, his family and couldn't help but feel at home, for what was probably the first time in his life.

"I missed you's too." Bellamy said with a smirk as Octavia pulled away, Clarke only dropping her head lower onto his shoulder and breathing in his scent. She knew that she should pull away but couldn't draw the strength to, not caring what people, especially her mother, would think, it was like her brain couldn't comprehend that he was alive and feeling his breathing, his heartbeat and his warmth was the only way she could know he was actually alive.

"You weren't just missing, Bell, you were dead." Octavia shot back with a glare and a quick punch to his shoulder. "That's for not telling us."

"Careful O," he told her when he couldn't hold back a wince at her punch. "I am sorry about that."

"Oh my god, you're hurt?" She asked, her question making Clarke pull back enough to start searching his body for signs of injuries but found that due to his grounder clothes, the majority of his skin and in turn, his injuries were hidden, although the scar on his face made her freeze.

"Princess," he started, attempting to draw her gaze, but instead drawing the attention of the other close by teenagers who were suddenly rushing over at the nickname, knowing only one person really used it, while Abby watched her daughter finally look up at his face, expecting to the look of anger and disgust at the nickname, instead seeing the first real smile she had seen in years. "I'm okay."

"Bellamy?!" Miller asked as he moved closer to the group. "Guys Bellamy's alive." He yelled to the camp, causing a large group of kids to run over, but Bellamy's focus was on the blonde at his side, still close enough that he didn't need to drop his arm from her waist, the contact keeping both sane. The commotion making Shadow jump slightly, which made Octavia realise the horse was close to her side and she stepped back towards Lincoln, she might have seen a horse or two but the creature still scared her.

"His names Shadow," Bellamy told Clarke quietly as he noticed her staring at the horse by his side.

"Can I?" She asked hesitantly, raising her hand slightly towards the big black animal.

"He won't bite." He whispered, nodding to her question as she moved away from him to pat the horse, both instantly missing the contact.

"Hi Shadow," Clarke said to the horse, slowly patting the black horses face, her smile growing as the horse lowered his head slightly. "He's gorgeous."

Abby watched her daughter pat the horse, feeling slightly jealous as she had always love the creature but also glad that her daughter was smiling. She watched as the group of kids hugged, shook hands or slapped the shoulder of their formerly presumed leader, before moving back to what they had been doing.

"Will you teach me to ride it?" Octavia asked, moving closer to the animal when she realised it wouldn't hurt her.

"Shadow, not it." He told her with a smirk, "but sure."

"It was you, wasn't it?" Clarke questioned, turning back to look at him with a thoughtful look across her face.

"I'm afraid you're going to have to be a bit more specific." He told her with a smirk.

"You're the friend Mary was referring to," she explained, ignoring her mother's stare, "you're the reason the mountain men lets us go."

"I would have gone myself, but I wasn't quite up to the walk." He said, confirming her suspicions, but also trying to downplay his injuries, knowing she would blame herself about them.

"How…" Clarke trailed off, not entirely sure she wanted to hear, her hand moving to touch his burn scar on his face. "How did you survive?"

"Can't get rid of me that easily, Princess." He said, silently hoping she would get that he didn't blame her, though as he felt her hand softly trail down his face and watched her face drop, he knew she wouldn't believe him.

Watching with interest, Abby couldn't believe how her daughter was so gentle and open around who for her accounts was one of the most dangerous people who had been on the drop ship full of criminals. She hadn't understood how her daughter had been prepared to work side by side with him before, and she definitely didn't understand why she was so happy to see him, but she did realise he was the reason she had been so upset by others calling her princess, that had clearly mainly been his thing.

"So you saved me then left me to die?" Finn asked angrily, moving towards them, having had enough at watching the reunion. Clarke turning at the accusation, but staying close to Bellamy's side.

"I looked for you when I woke up, I couldn't find you so I moved on." He explained, glaring at Finn when he scoffed. "I figured you had seen the mountain men take everybody and went after them, as I did."

"How did you team up with Mary?" Jasper questioned, intrigued at their other leaders adventure.

"I came across a little girl in my travels and helped her find her family, who turned out to be on their way to trade with your captives." Bellamy explained to the group, feeling Clarke look up at him with interest.

"Where have you been all this time?" Finn asked, his tone filled with resentment and annoyance.

"With Mary and her people, I would have come sooner, but it was a long distance and I had a few burns." Bellamy answered, glancing at Clarke, who know wouldn't look at him, the reminder of what had occurred at the dropship crashing down on her.

"How about we stop with the questions, there will be plenty of time for that later." Kane said, cutting in before anyone could question him further. "I'm sure Bellamy would appreciate it if we didn't crowd him."

"Come on, I'll help you unsaddle." Octavia said, clearly having taken to the animal.

"You're welcome to put your horse in the paddock we just finished." Kane told him, giving the horse a quick pat before leaving them, shoeing off some of the younger kids as he went.

"You have paddocks?" Bellamy asked amusedly, moving to his pack for some of his supplies.

"For the Boers and maybe deer we are going to breed." Octavia told him as if it was the obvious answer.

"Sounds like a smart plan." He said handing a package to Jasper. "Jasper, give these to Monty. There some seeds Mary sent with me."

"I'll help you with that." Abby said to Jasper, suddenly interested in the variety of seeds they now had. She was surprised at how quickly Bellamy seemed to slide back into the role of leader and it concerned her slightly.

"So, your mother's alive?" Bellamy asked, turning to the blonde at his side, her silence unsettling him.

"Sure is." Clarke stated, feeling as though she should give the siblings some alone time, but unable to draw herself away from his side. She felt safe for the first time in a long time.

"Come on, your poor horse is exhausted." Octavia told the two of them, though couldn't help but think that her statement was also fitting to them.

"Want to ride him there?" He asked his sister, the eagerness in her eyes enough of an answer for him. "Hop on."

"Are you sure? He looks kinda scary." She questioned, stepping up next to the horse either way.

"Shadows harmless, aren't you boy?" Bellamy asked the horse, much to the amusement of Clarke and Octavia. "I'll hold onto him the entire time."

"Okay." She said, stretching her leg up to mount the horse. "That looks so much easier than in the movies." She exclaimed as she finally managed to get on the horse.

"Ready?" Her brother asked, laughing at the fear on her face.

"What do I do?" She questioned, attempting to stay upright.

"Just hang on." He responded, making the horse walk forward. "Which way's the paddock?"

"Over this way." Clarke said, pointing toward the area she had visited just the day before.

"This is amazing." Octavia yelled, which made Shadow break into a trot, making her scream slightly.

"Stop being loud or you'll make him bolt." Bellamy chastised, though his amusement was seeping into his voice.

"You have to try this Clarke." Octavia informed her.

"I actually have." She stated with a laugh. "Though I was out of it for the most part."

"Really, when?" Octavia questioned as she played with a bunch of the horses mane.

"When Lincoln saved me from the grounders." Clarke explained, pointing towards the paddock. "There it is."

"Well you should definitely try it when you're conscious." Bellamy told her, walking Shadow through the gate of his new paddock. "This is great."

"You can build a better one, closer to wherever you sleep, but for now he should be safe." Clarke told him, pointing out the guards and houses surrounding the paddock.

"It's perfect." He said, laughing at his sisters attempt to dismount.

"Your turn." She informed Clarke the moment she was standing upright again.

"How about I take off the packs first, it's like he needs to be carrying them around anymore." He stated, handing the reins to his sister before taking the unneeded packs off.

"Now it's your turn." Octavia informed Clarke when her brother was finished.

"I don't know," she responded looking at the horse cautiously, "that's a long way to fall."

"You have done this before, you'll be fine!" Octavia reasoned with a laugh at the blondes concern.

"Not by choice and not alone." Clarke countered.

"How about I take off the saddle and ride with you?" Bellamy offered.

"Can you even ride that well?" She asked with a laugh, eyeing him cautiously.

"They taught me how to ride with or without, well taught me how to stay on anyway." He said, moving to take the saddle off and giving the body a quick brush with a weird makeshift one the farmers had packed him.

"I don't know." She answered, biting her lip as she weighed her options.

"You're allowed to have some fun occasionally Princess." He said, moving Shadow next to a log, allowing him to mount easily before stretching a hand out to help her onto the log.

"Okay." She decided after a moment, stepping onto the log, looking the horse over and trying to work out the easiest way to get on.

"Don't kick his head." He told her, before bending slightly toward her and wrapping his arm around her waist and lifting her up onto the horse in front of him.

Her shock at his actions was quickly replaced by excitement when she realised she was on the back of a horse, she used a hand to play with the dark mane. She watched as his free hand gathered the reins up.

"Hold on." He whispered in her ear, his arm around her waist tightening as he kicked the horse softly into a walk. The movement underneath was foreign but also enchanting.

"Can we go faster?" she asked, after a few minutes, his firm grip on her making her feel safer than she had in a long time.

"Brave princess." She heard him whisper in her ear, as she felt his smirk before he suddenly pushed the horse into a steady canter.

Clarke shut her eyes and relaxed into the fast, four-beat movement of the horse, trusting Bellamy to control the animal. She leant back into him and for the first time in weeks she actually felt like she could sleep, which seemed insane to her because she was on the back of a horse but also didn't at the same time. She only opened her eyes when she felt the horse slow, she turned her head to look at Bellamy as he stopped the horse, both their faces covered in large smiles.

"That was incredible." She said, turning to Octavia who had taken hold of the horse.

Clarke could still feel the adrenaline running through her veins as she stood on the ground, next to the horse but unlike the adrenaline she had felt any other time in her life, this was a better feeling, an amazing feeling.

"You're going to end up spending all your time giving out pony rides." Octavia said, helping finishing brush the horse.

* * *

Later that night, Bellamy found Clarke sitting at her usual spot at the edge of the fire, far away enough to be alone but close enough to feel its warmth.

"Hey." She said quietly as he sat next to her.

"When was the last time you slept?" he asked, the concern lacing his voice.

"Sleep and I came to an understanding a while ago," she started, knowing better than to lie to him, continuing after he raised an eyebrow in question. "I don't really attempt to sleep and it gives me a couple hours here and there."

"Clarke." He said, glancing at her.

"Like you sleep." She countered, eyes trained on the fire.

"This place is so surreal." He stated, dropping the topic.

"I know right, there's houses, well sort of, and a variety of different age groups." Clarke responded excitedly, she had been here for weeks and still couldn't get over that this was her home now.

"Not to mention guards, half decent weapons and different ammunition being created." He said with the same enthusiasm.

"Plus with our crops and breeding animals, we will soon be actual farmers." She stated glancing up at him with a wide smile.

"It's like a band new civilisation taking place." He responded quietly as a moment.

"That's exactly what it is, and it's all because of us, Bellamy, isn't that kind of amazing?" She told him as she leaned against his shoulder, seeking out his warmth in the dropping temperature.

"My mum would have loved the freedom of this place, the space it offers." His statement surprising her, she hadn't heard him talk much about his mother and she definitely hadn't heard him speak in that way.

"My dad would have loved how fresh the air was." She said, surprised at the lack of guilt in her words, she could finally remember her dad in a happy way.

"I don't blame you, you know." He told her quietly after a while.

"But I do." She responded, her eyes back trained on the fire.

"I'm sorry I forced you to make that decision, but I'm glad you did, my life wasn't worth losing any of theirs." Bellamy begun, knowing he would never be able to convince her, nor could he make it up to her but he could try. "And I'm sorry you had to live with thinking I was dead based on that decision."

"It was to me, losing you made me realise I made a mistake that night." She informed him.

"You didn't." He stated seriously.

"I'm not strong enough to do this alone." Clarke responded quietly.

"That's exactly what you've been doing." He said proudly.

"Not very well, I've let my mother basically push me aside." She told him, hating the honestly of the words.

"Our people still look to you." He countered, glancing around at the couple people still at the fire.

"That's mainly because of Miller." She answered, watching as the teenager in question made his way to one of the huts.

"You took my advice?" Bellamy questioned, glad she had turned to someone he had trusted to help her.

"Yeah, he's basically ran everything for me." She said.

"I'll have to thank him." He responded quietly, adding another reason to the list that he has had to thank Miller for.

"I think you being alive is thank enough for him." Clarke stated, the truth of her statement sending them into silence.

"Come on." He said, standing before holding his hand out to her. "You need some sleep."

"Only if you get some too." She responded tiredly, grateful to use him to help stand.

"I'm not promising anything." Bellamy told her with a smirk.

"Me neither." She stated as she looked around. "Where are you set up?"

"With O, apparently they have a big place because they built it all themselves, though they all look the same in the dark." He said as he joined her in glancing around the camp.

"It's just over here." She instructed, walking towards the hut on the outskirts of the camp.

"Thanks." He responded, following her.

"I'm really glad you're not dead." She said, stopping in front Octavia and Lincoln's place. She dropped his gaze as she made her way into the wooden building that was a cross between a hut and a house, but definitely a home.

"Joining me are you princess?" he asked with a smirk, stepping closer to her when he saw a flash of fear whether at being reject by him or at being alone, he wasn't sure. "Hey, you're welcome to."

"Thanks." She said, nodding at him. "It's just that mum's hut has Kane and a number of others from the ark and it's just so…"

"Come on." He instructed, placing a hand on the small of her back to direct her into the room Octavia had set up for him.

"It's massive." Clarke stated as she looked around the room, surprised at how different it was than the other huts she had been in.

"Are the others this warm?" He asked, moving to sit on the edge of the make shift bed, it was large and off the ground, so already winning in his mind.

"I'm not sure." She responded sitting next to him, before laying back on the soft bed in an attempt to gain some energy.

"Thought you were bunking with your mum?" He question lack the accusing tone she was used to with everyone, instead laced slightly with the understanding she had long been missing.

"I didn't last long, I mainly just stayed at the fire or in the med tent when the weather was bad." She told him, watching as he begun taking off his shoes.

"I'm surprised O didn't try adopt you, with how close you too seem." He joked, looking at the tired blonde at his side.

"She tried, but she gave up pretty quickly." She said, shutting her eyes blocking out the small light emitting from what was left from the small fire in what she guessed was supposed to be a lounge room.

He watched her for a moment, before placing a hand on the side of her thigh, just above her bent knee at the edge of the bed. Her eyes shot open, instantly locking on his in surprise, but she quickly got what he was asking and lifted her feet from the ground and placing them on the edge of the bed. He smirked at her before setting to work at taking her shoes off, glancing back up at her to see she had already shut her eyes again.

When she next opened her eyes, she was surprised to see him standing next to the bed, removing his coat and various other layers until he was just in a pair of battered boxers. She stared at the scars and half healed burns that scattered his torso, shocked at just how many there were, guilt rising back up. The guilt increasing when she saw the nasty wound on his leg.

"Like what you see, Princess?" He joked, catching her gaze, expecting to see embarrassment at being caught but instead finding guilt. "I'm okay, I'm alive."

"Only just." She said sitting up to inspect them closer. "I caused all of these, I nearly killed you."

"If you hadn't shut that door, you would have died." He told her, catching her hand as it started toward a large scar that had been from a piece of shrapnel.

"Your life is just as important as mine." She countered, glancing at his face.

"No, it's not." He stated simply, dropping her hand to take her jacket off.

"You don't just get to decide that." She said angrily, helping him remove her jacket none the less.

"Perhaps, but right now I do get to decide that you need sleep." He responded, placing her jacket on a table like piece of furniture near the doorway.

"I think I like the sound of that decision." She told him lightly, moving so she was at the head of the bed and pulling the mixture of animal skins and orange blankets back enough for both of them to get under.

"Goodnight Clarke," he said, slipping into the bed next to her, his tone telling her to sleep.

"Night, Bell-my." She responded, already half-asleep.

* * *

Clarke woke to the distinct feeling of being watched. Opening her eyes she jumped when she saw Octavia smiling widely at her as she sat on the table near the door watching the two sleep. As her shock subsided, Clarke realised that through the night she had ended up half sprawled out across Bellamy's chest, with her using him as a pillow and his arm firmly around her waist pulling her close. She wasn't sure whether it had been her or his doing but she did know that as a result he had been woken by her sudden flinch.

"Morning O." He said sleepily, clearly not bothered by his sisters creepy staring.

"Morning Bell, Clarke." Octavia responded, laughing at the latter's face.

"Her watching us sleep doesn't creep you out?" Clarke asked, moving off Bellamy to sit up.

"She used to do it all the time to wake me up, guess I'm just used to it." He said following suit.

"She is right here, you know." Octavia stated with a smirk.

"Why did you feel the need to wake us up?" He questioned her.

"Well other than the fact you too looked adorable when I walked by, which we will talk about later," she said, smirking at both of them. "I figured people might start to get worried about where Clarke was, seeing's how she's always up before dawn."

"Oh God, it's well past nine! I should have been up ages ago." Clarke stated, after checking her watch.

"Relax, Princess. You needed the sleep. Everyone could see that." Bellamy told her, getting out of bed to get ready anyway.

"And I told your mother you were staying with me." Octavia informed her, laughing at the raised eyebrow she got in response. "I ran into her when I went to get some water and she was on a bit of a rampage trying to find you."

"Seriously?!" Clarke exclaimed.

"Yeah, so I told her you had stayed here to keep an eye on Bellamy as you were worried about his little trek with his injuries, because I didn't want her finding you the way I had." Octavia explained, laughing at the blush across Clarkes face.

"This isn't what it looks like." Clarke stated as she began putting her shoes on.

"What does it look like, Princess?" Bellamy teased.

"Hey, I'm not judging, I'm just glad you finally got some sleep." Octavia said smirking.

"I was going to check in with Miller and see how Monty went with those seeds, after I've seen Shadow." Bellamy stated, going back to business mode.

"I'm so coming for that first thing, what about you Clarke?" Octavia questioned.

"I think I should go find my mother." She responded as they moved into the living room.

"You both have to eat first." Lincoln said from a kitchen like area across from them.

"Thank-you, for looking after my sister." Bellamy told him sincerely.

"Of course, I'm happy you're alive." Lincoln replied, giving him a small smile.

"Really?" Bellamy asked, raising his eyebrow at the statement.

"Your sister missed you, your people missed you. I mightn't have always agreed with your tactics but you did keep these people alive." Lincoln responded seriously as he placed food on a table and gestured for everyone to sit.

* * *

Tumblr: adangerousbond


	5. Chapter 5

Finally had a chance to update, an extra-long chapter for an extra-long wait!  
I'm thinking there will only be one more, probably short chapter but I've never really good at endings.  
A massive thank-you to all my readers, I've had so many lovely reviews left and so many people who have seemed to like this story that it's made me want to write more! I have a couple one-shot ideas and will hopefully get around to writing some of them.  
On a plus note, those first two episodes, wow! Cannot wait until Bellamy and Clarke meet up on the show.  
Enjoy!

* * *

"Thank-you for looking out for everyone, for looking out for Clarke." Bellamy told Miller after listening to him catch him up on everything. "You really stepped up."

"You stepped up first man, I'm really glad you're alive." Miller responded.

"You did good." Bellamy said proudly.

"She did too, she mightn't believe it but she did." Miller told him, glancing back towards the makeshift hospital.

"How has she been?" Bellamy asked, nodding at the statement.

"Her mum and some of the others have given her a bit of a hard time about everything, but for the most part she's stood firm and ignored them." Miller explained. "I mightn't have always understood why you accepted her as your co-leader, but I get it now. And for what it's worth, everyone is still on your two's side."

"That's good to know." Bellamy responded, glad to hear that their people were still their people.

* * *

"How are you feeling, Bellamy?" Kane asked walking over to him as he talked to Monty and Jasper.

"I'm good." He responded evenly, still not sure where he would stand with the rest of the ark.

"What are the seeds?" Kane turned his questions to the younger boys.

"There mainly wheat, corn and a couple different flowers." Monty explained pointing at the seeds he had sorted into groups.

"So we will be able to make bread and all sorts!" Jasper said excitedly.

"That's great." Kane responded before turning to Bellamy. "Your horse is drawing quite the crowd."

"I think he's loving the attention." Bellamy told him with a smirk.

"Mind if you introduce us?" Kane asked, the undertone of wanting to talk to him alone clear.

"If you insist." Bellamy responded calmly.

"If you're not busy, the animal always fascinated me." Kane continued, he might want to talk to him but part of him did actually want to meet the horse.

"Let me know how you go." Bellamy told Monty before turning to walk toward the paddock. "What is it you wish to talk about?"

"Well, I wanted to start off by saying that nobody here is going to turn against you because of what you did to the chancellor, everyone knows he pardoned you and most have accepted your reasons and what you have do for the people." Kane started, glancing at the younger man.

"Most." Bellamy half stated, half questioned.

"Some people still are not able to move past it." Kane told him honestly. He himself definitely did not agree with Bellamy's actions on the ark but couldn't argue he hadn't done a good job on the ground.

"You mean Clarke's mother." Bellamy stated simply.

"Abby, yes, she is one of the main ones." Kane responded, glancing around to make sure there wasn't anyone nearby to listen into their conversation.

"That's rich coming from someone who had their husband killed and daughter imprisoned." Bellamy stated as they arrived at the gate, surprised as Kane stopped and seemed to contemplate his statement as if it was new information.

"You care for her, don't you?" Kane asked, the relationship between the two leaders had puzzled him and he was no closer to figuring it out, it wasn't something anyone in the camp talked about before or after Bellamy's return and neither made any attempt to clarify it.

"Someone had to look out for her." Bellamy answered simply, giving Kane no new information either way.

"She's much like her mother," Kane started, "she's not as strong as she looks."

"No." Bellamy said, patting shadow before opening the gate to allow them in, "She's stronger than she looks."

"Abby will come around." Kane responded after a moment, as if he was once again considering his words.

"She can think whatever she wants about me, it's not going to change what Clarke thinks of me." Bellamy stated, smirking as the older man stood back from the large animal. "He won't hurt you."

"I've just never seen anything like him." Kane near whispered, reaching out to pat the creature in front of him.

"Where I was, they had sheep and cows and even dogs and cats." Bellamy told him, smiling at the memory of the animals he had seen.

"It's so strange isn't it? That the animals that once worked side by side with mankind, that were considered normal and mundane, are now once again seen through unbelieving eyes and are once more starting to be by our sides, even though nearly a century has past." Kane said as he watched the animal before him.

"It's as like no matter what happens, we are drawn to each other." Bellamy agreed, watching as Shadow nodded his head, seemingly in agreement.

"I never thought I would get the chance to see anything like this in person." Kane stated as he moved toward the horse once more.

"I don't think any of us did." Bellamy responded honestly.

* * *

After having caught up with every single person from the drop ship that he hadn't spoken to yet, Bellamy made his way to the medical hut in search of Clarke.

"She's not in there." Abby stated coldly just as he was about to go in.

"Do you know where she is?" He asked politely, looking around to see if she was close by.

"No." She responded firmly.

"Okay." He said simply, turning to leave to continue his search.

"Bellamy." Abby called out when he had gone a few stops.

"Yes?" He questioned, moving back towards her.

"Don't confuse her more than she already was." She pleaded.

"What?" he asked, unsure of her statement.

"About her feelings for Finn." She responded as though it was the logical answer. "She was confused enough before you came back from the dead, I'm worried that you may confuse her even more. You're no good for her, you must see that."

"And he is?" Bellamy questioned, trying to keep the annoyance out of his voice.

"Yes. I've seen how much he loves her, he's a good kid, and she deserves someone like him." She responded.

"If you believe that, you don't know the half of it." He told her with a glare.

"I know that you are a killer, that you have hurt a lot of people. I know that you used fear to manipulate people. I know that you think you care about my daughter, but you don't as much as he does and you never will." Abby explained her reasoning.

"He's not the saint you make him out to be, and just for the record, Clarke and I, we aren't together." He responded, feeling he needed to clarify.

"I'm just asking for it to stay that way. I understand that he mightn't be the best person in the world, but you need to understand that you bring out the worst side of her whereas he brings out the best." She told him firmly, holding his glare.

"And just what do you think is the worst side?" He questioned with a scoff.

"She helped you torture and kill people, that's not the sort of person she is, that's not who she is. You manipulated her into things she wouldn't normally even think of doing, you forced her into the darkness and I'm afraid that she's changing into someone I don't recognise, that she won't be able to come back from the darkness." She answered, lowering her tone to make sure no one around could hear.

"You sent her down here, you can't be surprised when she's not the same person you sent to jail on the ark." He told her angrily, he couldn't understand how she could judge her own daughter when she herself hadn't been through the same thing.

"I know my daughter better than anyone, I know what she is capable of and what will destroy her." Abby responded matter-of-factly, shaking her head at his stubbedness.

"No, you don't, not anymore." He stated coldly.

"And I'm guessing you think you do?" She questioned with a small laughed. "You're changing her for the worst, you're nothing but a monster but still seem to think you're a good influence to her."

"I never said I was a good influence, but at least I accept that there is a darker side to her, she mightn't like it but it is there and the only reason she's had to use it is because you forced her to." He said as he tried to leave, only stopping when she moved to stand in front of his exit.

"Look, all I'm asking, is you use whatever feelings you have for her, however small, and use them to keep away from her, for her own sake." She pleaded of him, trying a new route.

"Is that how you had your husband killed? You told yourself it was for his own sake?" Bellamy fumed, before walking off. His statement surprising her enough that she didn't get a chance to respond, she didn't think that would have been information Clarke would have openly shared with him.

* * *

She had expected him to constantly be near her, or at least come find her at some point during the day, but as dusk started upon them and she still hadn't seen him since leaving the hut that morning, she had taken it upon herself to seek him out. The hut had been her first searching place and ultimately her last as she found him lying on top of the bed they had shared hours earlier.

"What are you doing hiding in here? I thought you would be out enjoying the party going on outside, seeing's how it's for your return." She joked, the smile on her face turning into a frown when he opened his eyes and looked at her.

"It's just been a long day." He responded quietly, watching as she laid down next to him, turning on her side so she could face him.

"It's been a long year." She whispered back, his arm snaking around her back to pull her closer, her head coming to rest on his chest, similar to how she had woken and her hand resting above his heart. She wasn't sure when exactly they started being so touchy with one another, though she had a feeling that when you nearly die or you think someone has died it changes things, either way she wasn't complaining.

"I'm sorry I made it harder by leaving you to do it all alone." He told her, his hand on her waist softly drawing patterns on her skin in an apology.

"It was fine, well other than me not fighting for our people." She countered, part of her hating the fact that they both felt like they were in the wrong when logically neither were.

"Miller said you did great." He stated proudly.

"I could have done better." She responded quietly.

"He also said they didn't make it easy on you." He told her, trying to make her understand that she did a lot better than she would let herself believe.

"Only because my mother thinks she knows best." She answered after a moment, she had actually found most of the adults had accepted that she had the right to be a part of running things but they had also chosen to believe that her mother would know her best.

"Your mother really hates me, doesn't she?" He asked with a humourless laugh.

"What did she say?" She questioned, dread filling her.

"Lots. Mainly just that I'm a monster and no good for you." He responded, staring at the roof above them.

"Haven't we talked about this before? You are not a monster." She told him, turning her head enough to look at him.

"But she is right, because of me you have had to do things, be things you shouldn't have had to." He said quietly, looking down to catch her glaze for a moment.

"She's wrong, you didn't turn me dark, you just accepted that I was capable of being dark." She explained, hating how much damage her mother could do to people without even breaking a sweat.

"You deserve better, you deserve someone good." His statement threw her slightly, she wasn't used to them talking about themselves like this and especially not when he was clinging to her as if he couldn't bare to lose her.

"Isn't that my choice?" She said lightly. "Anyway, I bet she thinks I'm better off with Finn? You are so much the better man there."

"I hate how highly she thinks of him." He told her, the annoyance clear in his voice.

"You didn't tell her, did you?" She asked, not expecting that he would have.

"Of course not, that's not my place." He answered honestly.

"See, you're the better man. He would have told her if the tables were reversed." She responded quietly.

"True." He stated with a laugh.

"He will probably tell her all about the girls you've slept with in an attempt to make her hate you more." She said, looking up at him with a smirk when she felt him still.

"One of them were Raven." He told her quietly, looking away from her stare.

"When?" She asked him quietly.

"The night you and Finn got taken by the grounders, before we knew." He started, looking up at the ceiling. "She was pissed at Finn and wanted to hurt him, I guess, I warned her that if she was looking for someone to turn her away she had come to the wrong person. But that was the only time."

"Thank-you for telling me." Clarke spoke up after a while, the silence killing him. "You could have easily said nothing."

"That would make me no better than him, wouldn't it?" He stated, turning to look at her with a smirk, before changing the subject. "What does the ark think of Monty's brew?"

"Well they haven't confiscated it yet or told him not to make it, so I think they approve." She responded with a laugh, glad to change the topic to something less heavy. She still had no idea what exactly their relationship was, but that was their talent; talking about a lot without actually talking about a lot and vice versa. Although she had no idea, it didn't bother her and the fact it didn't bother her surprised her.

"Approve of what?" Octavia asked as she entered the room, smirking at the two of them as they looked at her.

"Monty's alcohol making skills." Bellamy answered calmly.

"I really have to stop finding you two like this." She responded with a laugh, her smile getting bigger as she watched Clarke move enough to hide her face in the pillow next to Bellamy's head.

"Did you want something?" he asked his sister.

"Just thought you might be hungry," she said, "and that you might want to actually show yourself out there, at your welcome back from the dead party."

"They come up with any excuse to through a party." He told her as she moved to sit cross legged on the end of the bed next to their legs.

"But this reason is a pretty good one." She countered, smiling widely at her brother as if she was still not fully believing of his return.

"She is right about that." Clarke stated as she extracted herself out of his hold to sit up.

"Really, you're on her side?" He asked, feigning hurt as he sat up next to her.

"Everyone has missed you." She responded with a smile.

"Plus everyone keeps asking where you are." Octavia laughed, "Unless you want me to send them in here?"

"Fine, I'll go out for a bit." He sighed in defeat, glancing between the two before lingering on Clarke. "What about you Princess?"

"She has to come too!" Octavia exclaimed, smiling innocently at the glare Clarke was giving her.

"Why? It's not like I usually go." Clarke asked with a glare.

"Because you need to have some fun." Octavia told her simply.

"If I have to go, it's only fair that you do too." Bellamy stated as he smirked at her.

"That doesn't work, it's for you." Clarke responded with a laugh.

"Please, I don't know if I can face that many drunk teenagers by myself." He pleaded, a lopsided grin in place.

"You owe me." She told him in defeat as she glared at the siblings.

* * *

"Having fun yet Princess?" Bellamy whispered into her ear as he came up behind her, his sudden closeness making her jump.

"Where have you been?" She asked, refusing to turn around to face him, choosing instead to watch the bizarre game going on in front of her.

"Jasper dragged me off to see one of those fish that light up, apparently it's his pet." He told her, nodding his head towards where Jasper was talking adamantly to a little girl about his fish.

"You made me come out here with you and then you ditched me!" She complained, trying to hold back a smile at the grin he was giving her when she turned to glare at him.

"I'm sorry, you're more than welcome to deal with a drunk Jasper. Well, as long as you don't be mean about his fish." He responded with a laugh, his comment being the last straw to her holding her smile back.

"So I'm guessing cooking it would be out of the question?" She asked with a wide smile.

"Cooking what?" Monty questioned as he approached them.

"Nothing." Bellamy answered to quickly, smirking at the blonde next to him.

"Right…" Monty said, drawing out the word as he looked between the two. "Anyway, it's about to get crazier around here, so if you's were planning on making an escape, I would do it now."

"We don't want to know, do we?" Bellamy asked, glancing around the dark camp only lit up by the fire in the middle.

"Nope." Monty responded with a sly smirk.

"Thanks Monty." Clarke said as she and Bellamy turned to leave, their exit from the rest of the group hidden in the shadows they had been standing in.

"Do you think they are happy?" She asked as they entered their hut, the closed door drowning out most of the noise.

"I think they are happy enough, I mean we are on earth and that's the dream isn't it?" He responded as he started to get ready for bed.

"I suppose." She said as she did the same, laying on the bed once she had.

"Do they fear for their life, most definitely but are they happier than when they were on the ark, absolutely." He told her before laying on the bed next to her.

"You really think so?" She asked turning to face him.

"Are you happier than when you were on the ark?" He questioned, turning on his side to hold her stare.

"I was waiting to die." She stated, her breath hitching as he reached his hand forward to trace her jawline.

"But before that?" he asked quietly, his touch pausing, as if waiting for an answer.

"Yes." She whispered, leaning forward to close the gap between their lips as her hands moving to the back of his head to pull him closer.

He reacted instantly, his hand treading through her hair and his other moving to her thigh as she forced him onto his back, her hands moving gently across his chest as she deepened the kiss. Using his hands as an distraction, he flipped her to gain some control and she pulled away slightly in protest, but he was quicker and started kissing a trail down her neck instead, smirking against her skin when his actions elicited a moan out of her. She used her hand in his hair to move his face back up to hers, while his slid under the seams of her shirt.

The opening of the front door and the laughter that followed made them instantly break apart, Bellamy stared at the blonde beneath him as he slowly sat up on his knees, putting some distance between them and he couldn't help but smirk at her which in turn received a glare. The distance allowed them both to realise just what had occurred between them and he was glad that she would still hold his gaze, knowing that he would be able to see the fear and worry in her eyes.

He moved to lay next to her and wasn't surprised when she turned away from him, but was surprised that she laced her hand through his, silently asking him to turn with her. She clung onto his hand as he wrapped his arm tightly around her, holding her close as they both laid in the silence catching their breath.

"Night." She whispered, barely audible to either of them after a while, breaking the silence that had settle the room. The hesitancy evident in her voice.

"Night." He responded, his voice hazy with sleep as he gave her collarbone a quick kiss, a promise that they wouldn't just pretend this didn't happen.

* * *

He woke up earlier than her, his body now caught up on sleep and his internal alarm clock was back set to sunrise. Carefully extracting himself from her, Bellamy stood up to get ready. He couldn't help but get side tracked by watching her sleep as he did, he rarely got the chance to see her so peaceful and it made him smile, she always looked like she was carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders and without it she looked happier, free and like the teenager she actually was.

"What is it with your family and watching people sleep?" Clarke asked opening her eyes to catch him in the act.

"We are just nice that way." He answered with a grin.

"I think you mean creepy." She countered, the peacefulness of sleep being replaced with a playfulness that brought a smile to both of their faces.

"That too." He told her, glad that last night hadn't made anything awkward between them.

"Why are you up so early?" She complained, turning into her pillow in an attempt hide from the day at hand.

"I told them I'd help with the hunt today. Anyway, I thought you liked mornings." He questioned as he finished getting ready.

"This isn't morning, it's basically still night." She responded causing him to laugh.

"The sun is up." He stated, moving to sit next to her on the bed.

"Barely." She threw back, as she turned to face him.

"Go back to sleep, Princess." He told her after bending over and giving her a quick kiss.

"Bellamy," She said when he had nearly gotten to the door, causing him to turn back to her. "Be safe."

"Always." He promised as he left.

She sighed as she turned back into her pillow, she didn't know how she felt as though she knew exactly what was going on between them and yet they hadn't spoke about any of it and she didn't know how they could basically bare their souls to each other without speaking, but she did know she was happy about it, happier than she had been in a long time.

* * *

"What's going on between you and Bellamy?" Finn asked the moment she approached the med hut the next day. "I saw you two last night and you's seemed pretty close."

"That's not really your business now is it?" Clarke threw back with a glare as he followed her inside.

"I just don't want to see you get hurt." Finn explained, as if that was reason enough to pry.

"He's not the one who hurt me." She countered, stopping at the supplies to sort through what they were running low on.

"You seem to have forgotten all the shit he's done, the amount of people who are dead because of him and not to mention the number of girls he slept with." He told her in a judgemental tone that reminded her of when he chastised her for bringing guns into the camp and trusting Bellamy.

"What?" Abby interrupted, having heard the start of the conversation and having been too interested in the topic not to listen, the last statement being too much for her not to cut in.

"He slept with nearly every girl in the camp, Clarke, I don't know how you can move past that." Finn said, ignoring the questioning look from her mother and the glare from her daughter.

"Why should it bother me?" Clarke questioned, the anger evident in her voice.

"Why shouldn't it?" Abby spoke up, glancing between the two as she tried to keep up with the conversation at hand.

"Even if we were together, which we're not, it wouldn't bother me, it's not like we were together then." Clarke stated, choosing to leave out the fact that what he was claiming was a reason not to trust Bellamy wasn't nearly as bad as what he had done himself.

"He slept with Raven, Clarke. Surely that has to mean something to you." Finn told her, trying to catch her off guard.

"I know." Clarke said, her words being the ones to catch him off guard.

"You know?! And it doesn't bother you?" Finn asked, his expression a mixture of shock and anger.

"Don't try to take the high road, Finn. Not after what you did." Clarke shot back, hating that he always tried to come off as the innocent party.

"What did he do?" Abby questioned, she had realised that something had happened between the two but hadn't been able to figure out what.

"I said I was sorry, I've tried to make it up to you." Finn responded, as if he had done more than enough to make her forgive him and that she was the one in the wrong for not.

"It doesn't matter." Clarke stated, her tone final.

"So what, I make one mistake and you can't move past it but he makes worse mistakes and is just forgiven, no questions asked." Finn questioned angrily.

"Bellamy doesn't lie to me, he doesn't keep secrets from me." Clarke told him.

"What did you say?" Abby asked, the question making them both turn to her.

"Bellamy doesn't lie to me?" Clarke repeated her statement slowly, confusion written across her face.

"You don't know that." Finn stated, ignoring the weird look Abby was sending their way.

"Look, I don't need to talk to you about this, I have things to do." Clarke said, she had been over the conversation before it had begun but just couldn't be bothered to continue it anymore. "Unless you wanted something to do with medicine, can you just leave?"

"Fine, but know this, you and Bellamy only end one way and that is with you hurt, you're fooling yourself if you think it doesn't." Finn told her as he walked away.

* * *

"What?" Clarke almost snapped, her tolerance level lowering every time her mother turned to her as if to say something before deciding against it.

"I never realised before, until I heard you just before." Abby started, a sad smile on her face.

"Never realised what?" Clarke asked, turning to face her mother readying herself for a fight.

"You never said his name, the whole time you though he was dead." Abby responded, watching as her daughter took in her statement.

"So?" Clarke questioned confused at the statement.

"You love him, don't you?" Abby asked quietly, still unsure if she wanted to know the answer.

"Why does it matter, it wouldn't make a difference to you." Clarke stated angrily, she really wasn't in the mood to discuss her relationship with Bellamy, especially not with her mother, not when she had no clue how to describe it to someone else.

"After your father died, it took a long time for me to be able to say his name." Abby explained.

"That was probably the guilt." Clarke countered, a glare still on her face.

"I am truly sorry about what happened, believe me." Abby said, knowing her apologies would never be enough but knowing she still had to try.

"That doesn't make it better." Clarke stated.

"What I'm trying to get to is when I first met Finn and he seemed so in love with you and he seemed perfect for you, from a mother's perspective. He was kind and easy-going and a great kid. He made it so clear how he felt about you and I was so glad you had had someone like him." Abby started again, trying to turn Clarke off the defence.

"So you just wanted to tell me how great Finn is?" Clarke asked, the annoyance creeping back in quickly.

"No. I'm trying to say that I might have been wrong. Finn might have seemed perfect for you, but when you got here and were so cut up about what had happened and stuck close to Bellamy's sister and right hand man, I should have realised." Abby sighed as she continued. "I should have realised how much he meant to you and I'm sorry."

"Thanks?" Clarke said hesitantly, her face scrunching up in confusion.

"It's just that neither of you are very open about who you actually are or how you feel and I guess I took that as him being some terrible person that couldn't possibly be good enough for you." Abby stated, speaking quickly as to not allow Clarke to cut in until she had finished. "But seeing you two together, seeing how open both of you are with each other made me realise that maybe who he appears on paper and to the rest of us might not be the same as who he is with you."

"He is a good person, mum." Clarke told her with a small smile, not sure if she was playing at something or not, but willing to give her the benefit of doubt.

"I might not quite be there yet, but I do believe that he would do anything to keep you safe and that is something I can't hold against him." Abby responded back with a wider smile, the fact she was having a half civilised conversation with her daughter for the first time in a long time too much to allow her to hold back her smile.

"He would for all of us." Clarke informed her mother.

"But even more-so for you and his sister." Abby explained with a small smile. "Since he returned, I've thought a lot about what Lincoln said, about him being gentle with you and about you being unafraid of him and I couldn't comprehend that, not from everything I had read about him. But now that I've seen him with you, I've seen how different he is with you and can understand what Lincoln said."

"So, let me get this straight, because you realised that I never said his name, you have decided he mightn't be that bad?" Clarke clarified, still unsure about it all.

"It just made me take a step back and rethink it all. You have to understand that how he is with you, how he is in person, goes against just about everything I knew about him." Abby stated, watching her daughter take in her words. "I'm not saying I approve of whatever the two of you's are, I'm not quite there yet, but I'm slowly understanding how you could work with him."

Clarke stared at her mother as if she was trying to work out how honest her words were, not trusting the sudden change of heart

"Look Clarke, I know I have a lot to make up for with you, I just don't want this to be another thing. I promise I will try to make an effort to get to know Bellamy and that I'll stop pushing Finn onto you, you mightn't tell me what happened there but it's clear you don't trust him." Abby told her sincerely, hoping that she would hear the truth to her words.

"That would be a start." Clarke responded after a moment.

"I'm glad you had Bellamy to help you, he seems to have your best interests at heart and makes you smile, that's all I can really hope for, I'm just sorry it took me so long to realise it." Abby stated with a small smile.

"I couldn't have done any of this without him." Clarke admitted, feeling relief at finally being able to say it to her mother.

"It might take me a while to believe that, but I do believe it was easier on you having him." Abby said after giving her statement some thought.

"You have no idea." Clarke answered with a small laugh.

"I should probably apologise to him for some of the things I said." Abby responded, glancing out the door as if to determine where he was.

"Yeah, I think you should." Clarke agreed as she followed her mother line of sight.

"I'm guessing he hates me already?" Abby asked after deciding he wasn't close by.

"No." Clarke responded quietly, continuing when her mother raised an eyebrow in question. "Nothing you said to him was anything he hadn't already thought himself."

"Well, that just makes me feel worse. Does he really think that badly of himself?" Abby questioned, she had always thought that he would think highly of himself, of what he had done.

"Probably worse." Clarke answered sadly, if there was one thing she had realised, it was that Bellamy didn't hold himself in high regard.

"Why?" Abby asked, the curiosity getting the better of her.

"He was five when he was handed a newborn and told that she was his responsibility. Everything that happened after, everything that went wrong he sees as being his fault, he feels that he failed his one job and that's something he can never make up for. Her life was always placed at the higher regard than his and I think he believes that most lives are worth more than his." Clarke explained after deciding if her mother really wanted to understand him or if she was still trying for reasons to dislike him.

"Really?" Abby questioned as she thought about what her daughter was telling her, she had known about his family and that he felt like he had to protect them, but had never thought about what that would have been like for him.

"He handed himself over to a psycho to save Jasper's life, he hated himself for what he did to Lincoln, he felt sick for killing someone who was about to kill me and he put himself in danger to protect a little girl who had killed someone." Clarke responded with a sad smile, remembering back to all the things that had gone wrong at the dropship, all the times someone nearly or did die.

"He killed someone for you?" Abby asked, the statement surprising her.

"Yes." Clarke answered quietly, leaving out the fact that he had killed one of them to protect her, but also numerous grounders to protect her.

* * *

"You still in here Clarke?" Bellamy asked loudly as he stood at the entrance of the med hut a while later, wanting to be able to make a quick escape if she wasn't.

"Yeah, Bell, I'm here." She answered from where she sat cross legged on the table in the middle of the hut, putting the old medical textbook she was reading next to her as he entered, the nickname slipping out.

"We brought you back some supplies." He said, handing a makeshift bag over to her, his movement freezing when he realised they weren't alone. "Doctor." He stated curtly, glancing at her slightly before turning his glance back at the blonde in front of him.

"Hi Bellamy, and please call me Abby." Abby responded, trying for polite but coming across a bit too friendly that confused Bellamy even more.

"Okay…" He answered, trying to figure out what was going on but only getting a smirk off Clarke when he silently questioned her.

"I think we got off on the wrong foot." Abby started, drawing his gaze back to her.

"You could say that." He answered coldly, crossing his arms across his chest in defence.

"For starters, I'm sorry I called you a monster." She told him apologetically, moving closer to the table.

"I think a lot of people would agree with you." He countered with a humourless laugh, ignoring the look on Clarkes face at his statement.

"Well, they shouldn't." Abby responded after the surprise of his words subsided, she had only half believed her daughter when she had told her he would feel that way.

"Thanks…" He responded carefully, his glaze filtering between the two women in front of him, unsure of what had occurred.

"I've got to go check on one of my patients, but I would love it if we could all have dinner together," Abby paused as she looked between them, trying to read their reaction to her suggestion but only ending up more unsure. "Or lunch tomorrow, just anything really."

"Dinner tonight sounds good, mum." Clarke responded with a slight smile after a moment, the silence nearly making Abby leave, especially with Bellamy's glare.

"Thank-you, see you later Bellamy." Abby said with a large smile plastered over her face as she turned to leave, glad to be getting somewhere with her daughter.

"What was that?" he asked the moment Abby had left the makeshift hospital, the confusion on his face making Clarke smile as she moved her legs to hang over the edge of the table to sit closer to him.

"She decided that you might be decent person after all." She told him, receiving a smirk at her statement.

"So you two are mending bridges?" He questioned as he placed a hand on the edge of the table at either side of her and invading her personal space.

"I think we are starting to." She responded, reaching forward to grab his jacket lapels in order to pull him closer, shivering slightly when he moved too much and she felt his hot breath on her neck.

"Good." He whispered into her ear before moving his face back enough to capture her lips, as he laced his hands through her hair.

She pulled him closer to deepen the kiss, all thought as to where they were fading out the moment his hand snaked around her back and under her thick jacket, her skin burning at the contact. Her hand moved through his hair toward the back of his neck as they both fought for control, the other still gripping his jacket tightly, as if it was the only thing keeping her upright.

She nearly laughed at his self-control as he broke away from the kiss, but it died in her throat the moment the oxygen hit her lungs. He stayed close enough that their breaths mingled and that the slightest movement would bridge the gap, but far away enough that she could once again think and remember where they were and that anyone could just walk in.

"I should go," he said, giving her a chaste kiss before pulling back enough to be standing straight, the sudden size distance making her have to raise her head higher to look at him. "Before we give your mother another reason to hate me."

"True." She told him with a smirk as she ran her hand through her hair to make it more presentable, his hand reaching out to help her straighten her jacket.

* * *

tumblr: adangerousbond


	6. Chapter 6

First off, I am so incredibly sorry this took so long! Summer is just such a busy time and then I started back at uni and never had a chance to finish this chapter.

I also found it hard to write during season two, because that season was just insane and then it took a while to get back into this story after the finale. I mean, I'm still not over the finale!

Anyway, here is the long awaited ending to this story. A massive thank-you to everyone who took the time to read it and I've got to say I was blown away by the response to this story. Every single review, PM, fav and follow (I wish I had the chance to respond to each and every one of you, hopefully one day!) made me smile and made me want to write, I am just so glad so many people enjoyed this and I hope I did the characters justice and this ending was worth the wait.

I honestly just can't thank you all enough, this started as a couple scenes in my head that I just couldn't move on from and somehow turned into a 30k word story. These two characters form such a wonderful ship and everyone in this fandom is so supportive, I look forward to writing more!

Enjoy!

* * *

Clarke had nearly gotten through the rest of her day without any interruptions besides ones to do with her job when Octavia arrived to drag her away

"Clarke! You are coming with me." Octavia demanded her voice full of excitement.

"Why? What happened?" Clarke asked worriedly.

"You've been locked up in this place all day, that's what happened." Octavia explained, laughing at the blondes concerned reaction. "So come on, let's go."

"Is there anything else I need to do, mum?" Clarke questioned, turning away to ask her mother, the very fact she was doing so not lost on her, but this was professional not personal.

"We seem to be pretty quiet, you should go with her. You deserve it." Abby responded quickly, urging her daughter to go.

"Thanks mum. I'll see you at seven?" Clarke confirmed, ignoring the strange look Octavia was giving her.

"I'm looking forward to it. Have fun." Abby told her with a large smile.

"Come on O," Clarke said as she started to leave. "Just where are we actually going?"

"What was all that about?" Octavia asked the moment they were out of earshot.

"An attempt at peace?" Clarke responded, she wasn't entirely sure what to think of what was happening between her and her mother, but she felt they were slowly getting somewhere.

"So you two are mending fences?" Octavia queried, glad to see her friend was making progress.

"Starting to." Clarke said with a small smile, she was actually liking the idea of mending fences with the only blood relative she had left.

"That's great." Octavia told her as she directed her towards the lake.

"So what are we actually doing?" Clarke asked, slightly worried as the answer.

"We are watching the maiden voyage of a boat Raven and Wick made, Jasper and Wick are taking it out to see if it floats." The younger girl answered with a wide grin, the excitement making her look like a little kid.

"Sounds like it might go interestingly." Clarke laughed, looking along the water edge for their friends.

"Will definitely be amusing, especially if they start trying to fish or it capsizes." Octavia agreed, the eagerness creeping into her voice.

"I'm not sure which one would be better." Clarke joked, making both girls start laughing at their joined desire to see their friends fall in the water.

"So, are we ever going to talk about the fact you're practically living at my place?" Octavia asked after they had stopped laughing. "Not that I'm not happy about it or anything."

"I've been there two nights, I barely call that living there." The blonde stated, glancing away from the serious look she was receiving.

"That's more than you lasted at your mums." Octavia pointed out.

"True." Clarke said, trying to quicken the pace to get to their friends and stop the line of questioning.

"And it's not like you're not planning on staying tonight or every other night. So I would call that living there." Octavia continued as she slowed the pace, knowing exactly what Clarke was up to.

"I can stay somewhere else if you would like." Clarke stated, trying to sound as if that actually what she believed the conversation was headed.

"That's not what I'm saying and you know it." Octavia responded, calling her out.

"What are you saying?" Clarke tried, preferring to talk around it all like she seemed to be able to with Bellamy, but she was learning his sister preferred the straight out approach.

"I'm going to ask something and I would really like an honest answer." Octavia told her with a shy grin.

"Okay…" Clarke agreed after a moment knowing she didn't really have a choice.

"What's going on between you and Bellamy? Are you two together now or what?" Octavia asked, pausing before they reached the small group.

"I don't know?" Clarke responded. "I don't know."

"Don't know what?" Raven asked as she appeared behind them.

"How do you not know?" Octavia questioned, choosing to ignore Raven's question.

"It's just," Clarke started unsure of her answer. "We haven't really talked about any of it."

"Why not?" Octavia asked as they continued to the water's edge, stopping to watch the group of boys trying their hardest to get the boat onto the water with Wick and Jasper in it.

"It's not that simple." Clarke responded after Wick and Jasper had gone out onto the water with Monty and Miller following along the edge in case it sunk.

"Just the other day we sat over there," Octavia said, pointing to the spot Clarke had found her fishing, "and we talked about the fact you loved him."

"I distinctly remember saying that I could have, not that I did." Clarke countered, trying to have some control over the conversation.

"I read between the lines, you only said that because of what happened." Octavia stated as if it had been obvious.

"And what, now that he's back it all suddenly changes?" Clarke questioned as she turned her attention of the water and to the younger girl.

"Exactly, before you wouldn't allow yourself to have loved him because you thought he was dead and loving him would only make it hurt more, but he's alive Clarke. That changes things." Octavia responded without missing a beat.

"Plus everyone already thinks you two love each other." Raven stated, reminding the other two she was still there.

"What?" Clarke asked, shocked at her statement while trying to ignore Octavia's laughter.

"Oh, come on, it's not like its some big secret." Raven said, smirking at the blondes glare.

"It really isn't." Octavia agreed with a chuckle, the amusement at the speed Raven had caught onto their conversation written across her face.

"Does everyone really think that?" Clarke asked after giving the two brunettes a chance to collect themselves.

"Well, maybe not the love part, but they all believe you two are screwing. Most of the kids did back at the dropship too." Raven responded with a grin.

"Really?!" Clarke questioned, glancing between the two as if she was trying to figure out if they were just messing with her.

"Of course they did." Octavia stated with a serious face. "But back to the question at hand."

"I answered your question." Clarke told her, turning back to watch as Jasper and Wick failed at steering.

"Clarke, you know me better than to think I would take 'I don't know' as an answer." Octavia chastised, sometimes she wished her brother and Clarke weren't so hard to get information out, not that the challenge didn't entertain her.

"That's the best answer I have for you." Clarke informed her, she didn't know how to answer a question that she honestly didn't really know the answer to or at least she couldn't voice the answer to anyone but him.

"It's a yes or no question, an 'I don't know' is not an acceptable answer." Octavia whined, her years at being a little sister had trained her for these sorts of situations.

"Like I said, we haven't really talked." Clarke told her with a sigh, hoping an honest answer would stop her.

"But there is something to talk about?" Raven asked, finding herself intrigued to know now.

"There's a lot to talk about, this camp doesn't run itself and the adults aren't overly good at it." Clarke responded casually, deciding upon answering vaguely again.

"Stop avoiding answering the actual question." Octavia stated as she crossed her arms trying to act serious.

"Just give her something, you and I both know that's the only way to get her to stop." Raven said after giving the two a chance to glare at each other for a moment.

"Fine." Clarke stated, pausing to annoy Octavia with a slight smirk across her face. "I would say that we are more together than we are not."

"That's not really an answer either, but I've always wanted a sister so I'll take it." Octavia said as she lunged forward to hug Clarke, the speed at which she did, making the blonde stumble somewhat.

"You really just make words into what you want to hear, don't you?" Clarke asked her with a laugh as the younger girl finally stepped back from the embrace.

"It's called reading between the lines, we covered this already." Octavia answered, smirking as Clarke shook her head at the statement.

"Can we just move on already?" Clarke questioned after a moment.

"Fine, but only because I have questions for Raven." Octavia said, turning her questioning gaze to the other brunette.

"What?" Raven groaned, glancing at Clarke for help, only to find the blonde stepping closer to Octavia as to back her up.

"So, you and Wick seem pretty cosy." Octavia stated more than asked.

"Yeah, what's going on there?" Clarke asked with a smirk, glad to be out of Octavia line of fire.

"I would much rather talk about you and Bellamy." Raven shot back, grasping at straws.

"We moved on from that remember?" Clarke responded coolly.

"This is kind of cool, isn't it?" Octavia brought up, confusing the other two.

"What is?" Raven asked, jumping at the chance to change the topic.

"Did you ever think we would get to gossip about boys, on earth and not fearing for our lives?" Octavia questioned, the reality of the moment setting in on them all.

"I guess it is pretty cool." Raven agreed as they all took a moment for it to soak in.

"So she is allowed to have the subject changed?" Clarke complained after a moment, laughing at the glare Raven was giving her.

"No, no she is not." Octavia stated as she turned her attention back to the older brunette, who simply groaned in annoyance at her statement.

* * *

Clarke shot Octavia a worried look as the two of them entered their cabin to find Bellamy and Lincoln staring at each other from across the table.

"Boys, you're both pretty." Octavia stated in an attempt to lighten the mood as she moved towards the table, ready to intervene if things got worse.

"You really think it could work?" Bellamy asked the other man, both completely ignoring Octavia's words.

"I know it could." Lincoln responded after a pause.

"Why hasn't anyone else taken it?" Bellamy questioned, a serious look covering his face.

"There's never been the need." Lincoln answered simply.

"What are you boys discussing?" Octavia asked breaking the silence that had over taken the room again as she and Clarke sat at the empty spots on the other sides of the table, facing each other.

"About a day's walk from here the land is unclaimed, there is thousands of hectares of forest, mountains, cleared land, lakes, rivers and oceans. We could take our pick." Bellamy explained, breaking his attention away from Lincoln and to the two girls.

"You want to leave?" Clarke asked, more hurt in her voice then she had expected.

"This is our chance to start something good, something from peace not war and from want not survival. We can create the kind of society we want, instead of the one the Ark wants." Bellamy told her with pride and enthusiasm.

"We've been doing that, for months now. We've been doing that here." Clarke shot back, still reeling from his desire to leave already.

"And you really think that it's a long term solution? There's not enough land here and there's too many people trying to be in charge." Bellamy questioned, trying to make her understand.

"So, what, you think we just go pick out where we want to live and everything will just work? That no grounders will fight us for it?" Clarke asked, she knew how hard they fought for territory around her and figured it wasn't about to change just because they moved slightly.

"They will leave us alone." Bellamy stated, looking to Lincoln for backup.

"The land around here, the land the dropship landed in it was already grounder territory, but eventually the clans stop and the land becomes no one's territory. This area has good water, food and shelter and so it is much higher populated than most places. We are near the edge, so we don't need to travel far to find land that we could very well claim as ours." Lincoln informed the group.

"How do we know that the land isn't some other clan your people don't know about?" Clarke questioned, it all just sounding like some strange fairy tale that was too good to be true, something that earth wasn't all too good at giving.

"Every couple of autumns, a group is formed that surveys as much as they can before winter, they travel away from the known clans in an attempt to find more survivors, more people to trade with or more pre-war structures for new supplies. I have been on these journeys a few times and I have seen so much unclaimed land." Lincoln told them, smiling at the memories. "The world's population is so incredibly smaller, there is much land out there not being used, too much to even comprehend."

"Why haven't you said anything before?" Octavia asked, the idea so appealing to her that she was surprised Lincoln hadn't brought it up when they decided to stay here.

"I would have if I had thought anyone would agree, but you still had hope your brother was alive and Clarke had appeared to want to stay with the rest of the sky people." Lincoln told her, knowing she understood this. The idea was appealing to her now, now that her brother would be there too.

"Why say something now then?" Clarke questioned, she felt so thrown by the sudden idea to completely start a fresh.

"I asked." Bellamy stated as he caught her gaze, trying to convey that he was running away from her, from them, but that this place was too much like the ark for him to want to stay.

"You barely just got back." Clarke near yelled, the anger masking her fear.

"I can't just go back to the rules on the Ark, to giving people with no clue the control over us all." Bellamy told her quietly, he had hoped to bring it all up slower, with more explanation and without just bombarding her with it, but he had also hoped she would be more into it.

"You haven't given any of them a chance." Clarke said, a part of her knowing she should have been expecting this but a larger part of her feeling betrayed at how quickly he had decided he didn't want to stay.

"I've asked around though, I think most of the kids will jump at this idea, maybe even a few adults." Bellamy responded, the fact he had already asked around making it hurt even more.

"You said they were happy." Clarke threw his own words back at him, looking away so to hide the hurt in her eyes, not sure if she could hold it together if he made it about them.

"Doesn't mean they can't have it better." Bellamy near whispered, reaching across to grab her hand, trying to convey once again that it had nothing to do with them, that it wasn't that he or the others didn't like it here, they just might love it somewhere else.

"I think most won't even think twice about it." Octavia agreed, the decision clearly already made in her mind.

"Why give up having food, shelters and safety for something that could end up so much worse?" Clarke countered, the idea of fighting for survival again making her feel sick.

"We won't force anyone to come, the option will be completely up to everyone if they want to come or not." Bellamy explained, his thumb caressing her hand as he did.

"What if I don't want to come?" Clarke asked, her voice coming out weaker than she hoped but she had to ask, his movement on her skin freezing as she did.

"Do you truly think this is a bad idea?" Bellamy questioned, staring straight at her and not giving her a chance to look away.

"I think it could be a good idea, given thought and planning but you heard about it and decided upon it almost instantly." Clarke answered after a moment, dropping his gaze as she did.

"Because it's our best option." Bellamy said without hesitation.

"Can I just have a chance to think about it before you start sharing it around?" Clarke begged, glancing around to each person in the room to make sure they agreed to her wish.

"Of course, Lincoln and I have got to go do training we had planned and you two need to think about meeting Abby soon, or you two will be late." Octavia spoke up with a smile as she stood up and tried to brush the serious mood off the room.

* * *

They were just about to leave the cabin when Clarke spun to a stop in front of him, forcing him to stop as well. Facing him, she lost her nerve to ask the question that was spinning around in her head. She couldn't ask the question because she was so afraid of the answer, so she turned and reached for the door.

"Clarke." Bellamy said as he reached for her wrist to stop her movements and tugged gently to make her turn back towards him. "What did you want to say?"

"I just, I was. It was nothing." Clarke answered, shaking her head as she went to turn again.

"It wasn't nothing." Bellamy told her, his words making her turn her attention back to him.

"If I was to stay, would you really go?" She asked timidly, the regret at saying it out loud washing through her the moment she shut her mouth.

"No." He responded after a moment.

"No?" The amount of hope lacing her voice made her feel even more terrified than before.

"If you truly thought it was best to stay, I would stay." He confirmed, holding her gaze.

"Really?" She questioned his answer once more, unable to stop the smile forming on her face.

"Really." He stated simply, a serious look covering his face to convince her of the truthfulness behind his words.

She stared at him for a moment, before reaching forward to kiss him, trying her hardest to portray her gratitude at his answer, at his willingness to stay by her side and that somehow he felt she was worth it.

"What is your problem with the idea? I thought you would love it." He questioned after they pulled apart.

"I just, I guess I just don't know how much more fight I have left in me." She responded once she had thought about his question.

"We are strong enough to do this." He told her, fully believing that they were.

"I'm sick of having to fight everyday just to survive. We have already lost so much and so many, what's to say the fights even worth it?" She asked, the fear and tiredness creeping back into her voice.'

"There's more to life than surviving, Princess. You can't forget that." He responded, a sad smile crossing his face.

"But is there? Is there anything but surviving on this planet?" She questioned him, her shaky voice making him want to shield her from all the horrible things out there.

"The moment you stop living is the moment you let earth win." He told her as he drew her into a hug, sharing he strength with her.

* * *

Their dinner with her mother had taken some the heaviness of the decisions they had to make away. Abby had been more than happy to maintain most of the conversation and the edge to the small group had more to do with the awkwardness of it more than the fact that the two leaders were deciding upon whether or not to leave the camp.

Clarke was more polite than usual to her mother in an attempt to make sure nothing slipped about this possibility, knowing that it would just cause an uproar, but it did give her an opportunity to more clearly view the camp around her. She realised that there really was little interaction between those who had been in charge on the ark and those that they had sent to their deaths, along with those that had been seen as disposable on the ark.

* * *

Later that night, she lay awake watching Bellamy sleep, watching as his bare chest rose and fell with each breath, reminding her that he was alive and that he had come back to her and in the silence of the night, she knew she had made her choice.

"Bell?" Her voice barely a whisper, the need to share her decision becoming overwhelming.

"Yeah?" His response came after a delay, as he tried to work out if she had actually spoken or if he had dreamt it.

"I think we should go." She told him as he turned to his side to face her.

"Seriously?" He asked, unable to hide his wide smile.

"The idea terrifies me but you're right, it's our best option." She confirmed, smiling along with him.

"It terrifies me too, but I think we can do it." He said honestly as he reached across to move a strand of hair off her face.

"I think we can too." She agreed, the excitement at leaving the camp suddenly catching up with her, waking her up even more. "Can we find somewhere near the beach? I always loved the idea of living near the beach. And we need so where that Shadow will be safe, I'm not having our first pet to be eaten by some strange animal."

"Sure, but do you think we can go over the finer aspects in the morning?" He asked with a laugh, sleep still clouding his words. "You know, once some of us have actually gotten a chance to sleep."

"If you insist." She responded with grin as she lifted her head closer to his and closing the distance between their lips. He responded instantly, pulling her closer as she flipped him onto his back without breaking contact. Just before he had a chance to deepen the kiss, she pulled back, breaking it.

"Still want to sleep?" She asked with a sly smirk, a near growl being the only response she got before he closed the gap again.

* * *

"Guys, we really need to set rules about wearing clothes." Octavia said in a louder than usual voice, forcing the occupants of the room to wake and look at her.

"We are allowed to not wear them in our own bed." Bellamy shot back as he pulled the blanket up further, making sure to cover Clarke's exposed skin.

"I think we need rules about creeping into other peoples rooms while their sleeping." Clarke stated when she moved past the initial embarrassment.

"They both have valid points." Lincoln said from the kitchen.

"You're supposed to be on my side." Octavia complained, glaring at the direction of the kitchen.

"How about you two discuss this out there and give us a chance to get dressed." Bellamy suggested, drawing his sisters attention back to them.

"Or you know, let us go back to sleep?" Clarke stated once she realised it was barely dawn.

"Have you decided?" Octavia asked, "Are we going?"

"Why don't you let me sleep on it a bit more and then I'll let you know?" Clarke tried to bargain as she shut her eyes.

"Or I can just annoy you until you tell me and then you won't have any chance to go back to sleep." Octavia shot down her chance of bartering with an innocent smile.

"Just tell her, you're not going to win this one." Bellamy told her.

"Fine." Clarke "we are going."

"Yay!" Octavia squealed as she rushed out of their room to celebrate.

* * *

It took them the whole of three days to prepare a small group of about thirty of them to start the search for their new home. They had tried to limit the size of the initial group but the support for the plan was too strong and in the end the group had just grown. The Ark leaders had started off unsupportive and annoyed at the plan but had quickly come to realise that it was going ahead no matter what and that they would rather stay friends and allies than have the potential for more enemies.

Clarke had expected her mother to try to convince her to stay every moment she got, but instead Abby seemed to understand that the space was needed and would probably improve their relationship, at least it would help it instead of the damage fighting her would have done. By the time it came time to leave, Clarke actually found herself feeling sad at the thought of leaving her mother but the excitement of what lay ahead quickly squished the thought.

They had decided to split the long one day walk into two shorter walks over two days in order to set better paths and to stay more alert and less tired. By the end of the first day, the group was more excited than when they had left. The forest had started cleaning out and the wildlife had started changing, bringing out the inquisitive side of the people who had grown up in space, who never believed they would get to see the beauty of mother-nature first hand.

Half way through the second day, Lincoln who had been working off strange signs and symbols that to them would have gone undetected, informed them that they were out of everyone's territory and that anywhere from now on was unclaimed. Upon Bellamy's suggestion, he rode ahead on Shadow to start search for somewhere suitable, or at least somewhere they could temporally set up camp.

When he returned hours later with the news that for an extra days walk, he had found the perfect spot. They had agreed and chose to take his word for it when he had started to explain, everyone wanting the surprise of seeing what it was first hand. The knowledge of a home made everyone move along faster and with even more motivation than before. Seeing how happy and enthusiastic everyone was made Clarke even surer this had been the right call.

They started before dawn on the third day, the group too excited to sleep and arrived a couple hours after sunrise. Everyone froze when they got to the outskirts, in a silent agreement that they were here, that this was home. Clarke looked around in wonder, there was a small bay with calm, blue water before it turned into a wide and spread out ocean. The bay itself was surrounded trees that would work as good protection from the cold sea breeze, but they didn't start until the large section of clean yellow sand started turning darker and eventually into soil.

As they started moving again, with some of them rushing to play in the shallow waters, she realised that towards the opposite edge of the bay there were some smooth grey rocks that had created an array of rock pools. Lincoln was smiling at the groups wonder and told them it got better, urging them to follow him to the trees.

Shadow's whinny of approval as they stopped when they had gotten past most of the trees was the only sound the group made. There was a clearing that formed ahead, with the large open area turning into the start of a collection of small hills, with a large clear river running next to one and along the edge of where the cleared area started turning back to forest. The clearing itself was covered in lush grasses and a number of different trees, wildflowers and other strange shrubs.

The group jumped when a horse whinnied in the distance and a herd of them suddenly galloped towards their direction. The commotion stirred a group of deer nearby and when they looked over at the deer they realised that behind them were a herd of cow-like creatures drinking from the river. The fact that this place was their home brought so much happiness to Clarke, it truly wasn't something she could have ever believed of seeing let alone living in.

The first week was the hardest, a small group had had to go back to the old camp to get the rest that wanted to come and those who stayed had started to build structures. Bellamy had focused more on setting up paddocks for Shadow and for the stock they had found, along with making sure a hunting party went out each day to get not only food for them but the skins that came with the meat. Wick and Monty had helped design the huts at the Ark's camp and with Lincolns help they were quickly making headway with simple structures that would house them for now.

After they had a few structures and everyone was settled, Clarke begun to feel amazed at what they had accomplished, at the civilisation they were creating. She found herself looking forward to the next day and happier than she could ever remember being, even when her dad was alive and the Ark still seemed good. The months flew by as if they were seconds and for the first time in their life no one was worried for their life.

* * *

"I have a surprise for you." Bellamy whispered in her ear as he placed his hands over her eyes.

"What?" She asked, trying to pry his hands away without much success. She had been watching Munroe attempt to tame one of the horses they had captured as she sorted through the supplies that days hunt had come back with and wanted to see if the girl succeeded.

"Come with me." He responded, dropping one hand to steer her the right direction.

"Bit hard when I can't see." She complained, following his directions anyway. "This isn't like the time Octavia found that orphan baby deer but Lincoln wouldn't let her keep it so you took it, is it? Because Bambi's sweet and cute and all that but she was also annoying and hard work."

"You love that deer, don't try to tell me otherwise." Bellamy told her with a laugh, somehow they had managed to keep it alive and now it was like their weird form of a dog, living in the paddock next to their hut with Shadow and a half grown calf that they were taming to be used to get milk off when it was older.

"I know. But it worries me when you say you have a surprise. I mean, what about the time Jasper found that monkey and you thought we could keep that? Or that weird squirrel thing, that I'm quite certain had rabies? No, I know the best one. Remember the thing that looked sorta like a dog that you caught, the one you were sure actually liked you, then it tried to bite you when you were feeding it and it escaped? That was definitely the best." Clarke rambled, her wide smile contagious.

"Hey, because of you we now have that bloody parrot that can't fly and never shuts up." He countered, turning her toward their hut.

"We really have to stop taking in strays don't we?" She responded, laughing at the strange collection they had going on.

"Probably. But we both know that's not going to happen." He stated, feeling her nod in agreement under his hand.

"True. Is the surprise living?" She pried, attempting to find out more information.

"No." He answered, figuring that answer wouldn't help her much.

"Did you find it or make it?" She asked, hoping he was in a sharing mood.

"You'll find out soon enough." He responded in a smug voice.

"That's not fair, can't I have one more question?" She wined, squirming in an attempt to get out of his hold.

"You're not getting any more answers out of me, Princess." He stated as he reached forward to open the hut door for them.

"Can I see yet?" She questioned hopefully as they came to a stop.

"Nearly." He told her, pausing just to make her wait, before taking his hand away.

"Oh my god! It's beautiful." She beamed, tears forming in her eyes as she looked at the wooden cot in front of her. "Did you make this?"

"I had to make sure our baby had somewhere safe to sleep, you know, with all these strays we have." He told her as he reached forward to stroke her stomach that was only just starting to portray that something was growing inside of it.

She had been surprised when she had worked out she was pregnant but what had surprised her more was that she felt more excited and happy about it than scared. She had told him early on, before she knew for sure, when it was just something that she had felt could be a possibility and he had shared her excitement. His love had been a strength that had made her realise it was a task they could easily do together. The one thing she hadn't yet been able to get over was that she had expected her life to end at eighteen and now here she was alive and having created a new life.

"I love it." She whispered as she flung her arms around him, hugging him tightly. Together they fought the world and won, together they were invincible.

* * *

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